Shri. Nagarajan Vedachalam
Director,
01/08/2000 - 29/10/2004,
LPSC, ISRO 		Director

Shri NAGARAJAN VEDACHALAM was born on 28th October 1942 at Madurai, educated at Capron Hall, Sethupathy High School and Madurai College, prior to his Engineering education at Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai. He obtained his Bachelor of Engineering Degree from the University of Madras in 1964. Before joining the Indian Space Research Organisation in 1969, he worked for four years in Defence Research & Development Laboratory, Hyderabad, specializing in the development of an Anti Tank Missile Gyroscope.

He joined ISRO in July 1969 as Scientist/Engineer at Space Science & Technology Centre, Thumba, Thiruvananthapuram. In a career spanning over 34 years in Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Shri Vedachalam had held several important positions like Group Director, Navigation Guidance Control Group, Programme Director, Inertial Systems Laboratory and Director, ISRO Inertial Systems Unit at Thiruvananthapuram.

Shri Vedachalam was responsible for the development of :

  • The most critical indigenous Inertial Measurement Unit for SLV-3
  • Stabilized Platform Inertial Navigation System for ASLV
  • 'Strap Down' Inertial Navigation System for PSLV and GSLV Launch Vehicles of ISRO

  • Spacecraft Mechanisms like Momentum and Reaction Wheels and Inertial Reference Unit for IRS and INSAT Spacecrafts were indigenously developed, thus achieving total self-reliance in the Inertial Systems for ISRO

Shri Vedachalam, an Outstanding Scientist of Indian Space Research Organisation, and as Director, Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) at Thiruvananthapuram since July 2000 has directed the realization of Liquid Rocket Stages for GSLV-D1 and PSLV-C4 missions, apart from the GSAT-1 Propulsion System. He has directed the development of the ISRO Cryogenic Upper Stage for GSLV and responsible for successful testing of the first Cryogenic Engine for 1000 seconds.

Shri Vedachalam is a recipient of :

  • Dr. Biren Roy Trust National Award in 1990
  • Astronautical Society of India Award in 1996
  • Institution of Electronics & Telecommunication Engineers Award in 1997

  • In view of his outstanding contributions to Science and Engineering, the President of India is pleased to confer 'Padma Shri' on Shri Nagarajan Vedachalam on the 54th Republic Day