Thiruvananthapuram: The Government of India has approved appointment of G Madhavan Nair as Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Secretary at the Department of Space, a Vikaram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) release said on September 21.

Following this, Dr B N Suresh was appointed as Director, VSSC, to succeed Nair and R V Perumal designated as Director, Project, at the VSSC, the release said.

An expert on rocket guidance and control systems, Suresh joined VSSC in 1969. He took his Doctorate from the University of Salford, UK. He worked with control systems of SLV-3 and steadily rose to become Deputy Director of Avionics and the Associate Director of VSSC.

In the past three decades, he had made significant contribution to Research and Development, especially to many complex technology areas in the navigation guidance and control of launch vehicles. He was especially responsible for realising guidance and control systems of PSLV and GSLV. He was honoured with Padmashree in 2002.

Perumal, who joined VSSC in 1970, is a pioneer in development and operationalisation of Geo- Synchronous Launch Vehicle. A recipient of Padmabhushan, Perumal is an expert in critical aerospace structure assemblies and technical and finance management. He had played a key role in developing critical technologies for launch vehicles and served as project director for PSLV and GSLV, the release said.

PTI