Kailasavadivoo Sivan’s journey from a humble mango seller to the head of ISRO is an inspiring tale of dedication and perseverance. This blog post details his life, career, and significant contributions to India’s space program.

Wiki/Biography

K. Sivan was born on Sunday, April 14, 1957, in Mela Sarakkalvilai, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu. A brilliant student from a poor family, he helped his father, a farmer, from a young age. His primary education was in a small Tamil medium village school. He is a devout Hindu and his zodiac sign is Aries.

Family

Sivan’s parents were Kailasavadivoonadar (a farmer) and Chellamall. He has two sisters and a brother. He’s married to Malathi Sivan, a homemaker, and they have two sons: Sushanth (an engineer) and Siddharth.

Career

Sivan’s academic achievements are remarkable. He scored 100% in mathematics during his Bachelor of Science degree from South Travancore Hindu College. He then pursued a Bachelor of Engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology (MIT) graduating in 1980 and followed this with a Master’s in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in 1982. He further enhanced his credentials with a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mumbai in 2007.

His career at ISRO began in 1982, where he made significant contributions to the PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) mission. His roles progressed steadily: Director of ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (2014), Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) (2015), and finally, Chairman of ISRO (2018).

He played a key role in the successful launch of 104 satellites at once by PSLV-C37 in February 2015, a feat that brought global recognition to ISRO.

Awards/Honours

Sivan’s exceptional contributions have been recognized through numerous prestigious awards:

• Dr. Vikram Sarabhai Research Award (1999)
• ISRO Merit Award (2007)
• Dr. Biren Roy Space Science and/or Design Award (2011)
• Distinguished Alumnus Award from MIT (2013)
• Doctor of Science from Satyabhama University (2014)
• Distinguished Alumnus Award from IISc (2018)
• ‘Vigyan Rattan’ Award (2019)
• Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Award (2019)

Favourite Things

His favorite foods include Dal-Chawal and South Indian cuisines.

Facts

• His family’s poverty prevented his siblings from pursuing higher education.
• He is the first graduate from his family and village.
• He earned the nickname “Rocket Man” for his work on cryogenic engines.
• He specializes in 6D trajectory simulation software.
• He contributed significantly to the GSLV and Reusable Launch Vehicle projects.
• He is a spiritual person, often visiting temples before and after projects.
• His hobbies include reading, traveling, listening to Tamil classical music, and gardening.
• He initially aspired to be a teacher, and faced rejection at ISRO’s Satellite Center before finding success in the rocket program.

Education and Professional Timeline