Nambi Narayanan

Scientist

Indian Nagercoil, Travancore (now Tamil Nadu, India)

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Quick Info

ProfessionScientist
NationalityIndian
Date of Birth12/12/1941
Age84 years
BirthplaceNagercoil, Travancore (now Tamil Nadu, India)

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Bio/Wiki

S. Nambi Narayanan is an Indian aerospace scientist who worked for ISRO and is known for pioneering liquid rocket propulsion in India.
He is widely recognized for leading the development of the Vikas engine and for his role in India’s early cryogenic and liquid propulsion programs.

Physical Stats & More

Eye ColorBlack
Hair ColorGrey

Educational Qualification(s)

SchoolDVD Higher Secondary School
College/University
  • Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai
  • Princeton University, New Jersey
Educational QualificationA degree in Mechanical Engineering From Madras University

Personal Life

HobbiesReading, Travelling
ReligionHinduism

Relationships & More

Marital StatusMarried

Family

WifeMeena Nambi
Children
  • Sankara Kumar Narayanan (Businessman)
  • Geetha Arunan (Montessori teacher in Bangalore)

Career

Joined ISRO in 1966.
Worked on liquid propulsion and cryogenic rocket technology at ISRO.
Led the development of the Vikas engine and helped bring French technology for its use in India’s early PSLV programme.
Served as a senior scientist in ISRO’s cryogenics division.
Retired from ISRO in 2001.

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Nambi Narayanan joined ISRO in 1966.
2. In the early 1970s, he invented liquid fuel rocket technology for India's future civilian space programs.
3. His work was supported by U.R. Rao and ISRO Chairman Satish Dhawan, leading to the development of liquid propellant motors.
4. Nambi was in charge of ISRO's cryogenics division.
5. He collaborated with prominent Indian scientists like Satish Dhawan, Vikram Sarabhai, and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam during his 35 years at ISRO.
6. He faced false charges and threats from Intelligence Bureau Officers due to an espionage case.
7. Nambi and another scientist were accused of transferring ISRO's secrets for money.
8. Despite not receiving support from ISRO during the legal proceedings, CBI dismissed all charges against him in 1996.
9. He was acquitted by the Supreme Court of India in 1998.
10. After being cleared of all charges, Nambi sought compensation for his suffering and demanded accountability from the authorities.
11. Nambi revealed instances of mental and physical abuse during his ordeal.
12. In 2012, the High Court directed Kerala to pay him ₹10 lakhs, which led to another legal battle.
13. His autobiography detailing the espionage case was released in 2017.
14. In 2018, the Supreme Court acknowledged the harm to Nambi's reputation and ordered compensation from the officials involved.
15. Nambi shared the impact of the case on his family and society's perception of him.
16. He fought for justice for two decades and was eventually awarded ₹75 lakhs in compensation.
17. R. Madhavan portrayed Nambi in the film "Rocketry: The Nambi Effect," released in 2022.
18. In 2019, Nambi Narayanan was honored with the Padma Bhushan.
19. He contributed significantly to the Indian space program by developing the Vikas rocket engine.
20. He led the team that acquired technology from the French for the Vikas engine used in India's first PSLV launch.
21. He completed a master's program in chemical rocket propulsion at Princeton University under professor Luigi Crocco.
Information on this page is collected from public sources and may not be 100% accurate. Report an error
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