S Nambi Narayanan was an Indian aerospace scientist who contributed to India’s space program. He also received the Padma Bhushan award. While he was working for the Indian Space Research Organisation, he developed the Vikas rocket engine.
Padma Bhushan award
S Nambi Narayanan was awarded Padma Bhushan by the government of India for his contributions in the field of science and engineering. This is the third highest civilian award in the country and comes as a recognition of the great contribution that he has made in the field of space science.
The Padma Bhushan selection committee had 15 members. They met for five to six times between September 2018 and January 2022. Some of the prominent members are the Secretary to the President of India, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Khadi and Village Industries Commission Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena, athlete PT Usha, classical vocalist Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty and film maker Shekhar Kapur.
Narayanan had been falsely tagged as a spy in an espionage scandal that involved the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and two Maldivian women. He was arrested in December 1994 and accused of selling the country’s secrets to foreigners.
Legal battles
Nambi Narayanan has been involved in a long legal battle. The veteran scientist, who was once head of cryogenic engine division at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has been fighting charges of espionage since 1994. He was accused of sharing confidential scientific documents with external agencies, thereby enabling the transfer of rocket systems to foreign countries.
Narayanan was in charge of the ISRO cryogenic engine project when he was arrested in November 1994. He was arrested with two Maldivian women. They were charged with leaking information about cryogenic engine technology to Pakistan.
A CBI report dismissed the charges as unfounded. The CBI also stated that the case was fabricated. It found no evidence to back the allegations.
In 1996, Nambi Narayanan was acquitted by a CBI court, but the Kerala government filed an appeal in the apex court. The Supreme Court quashed the government’s order in 1998.
Claims that the Vikas engine was developed by him
Nambi Narayanan is a well known Indian aerospace engineer. He is credited with developing India’s first liquid fuel-based engine, the Vikas. The engine never failed during 53 flights. It has become a core component of Indian rockets and acts as the groundwork for all future space launch vehicles.
Narayanan joined the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in 1966, as an assistant in the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station. During his career in ISRO, he became a senior officer in the cryogenics department, where he was involved in the development of liquid propulsion engines.
According to reports, Dr Muthunayagam, Director of Liquid Propulsion Projects at VSSC, became Nambi’s mentor during the early part of his career. He was also the head of the Propulsion Engineering Division at SSTC.
