V. Narayanan, the Chairman of ISRO and Secretary of the Department of Space, emphasized the need for stronger collaboration among academia, industry, and research institutions to advance India’s ambitious space agenda. This includes plans to build an indigenous space station by 2035 and to send Indian astronauts to the Moon by 2040.
Speaking virtually at the ISRO Academia Connect event held at Andhra University, which was organized by the Capacity Building Programme Office (CBPO) in collaboration with Andhra University College of Engineering, Narayanan pointed out the university’s century-long contributions toward nurturing scientists, educators, and administrators. He described the institution as a crucial partner in promoting research and innovation.
Delving into India’s notable space achievements, he noted that the nation successfully performed a soft landing near the Moon’s south pole with Chandrayaan-3, while work on future missions like Chandrayaan-4 and Chandrayaan-5 is ongoing. “There should not be any gap between space and the common man of this country,” he stressed, highlighting that ISRO’s satellites serve over 50 sectors including telecommunications, weather forecasting, disaster management, agriculture, fisheries, water resources, and border security. Additionally, he acknowledged India’s development of indigenous cryogenic technology after other countries denied access.
Mr. Narayanan called for research that has real-world applications, encouraging universities to go beyond publishing academic papers and focus on generating patents, technology, and products that can benefit society. He expressed his belief that the partnership between ISRO and Andhra University would lead to increased research opportunities and internships, ultimately supporting India’s space program.
ISRO’s Scientific Secretary, M. Ganesh Pillai, highlighted that this event at Andhra University marks the fifth edition of ISRO’s nationwide Academic Connect initiative. “Every successful space mission is built upon decades of research, innovation, and academic excellence,” he stated, urging universities to pursue mission-driven research to create technologies, prototypes, and products for upcoming space missions.
