P. S. Veeraraghavan

P.S Veeraraghavan
Born	24 December 1948 (1948-12-24) (age 62) Tamil Nadu, India
Residence	India
Nationality	Indian
Fields	Rocket Technology and Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Institutions	Indian Space Research Organisation
Alma mater	B.E. (Engineering - Electrical) (1969), College of Engineering, Guindy MTech (Engineering - Electrical and Electronics Instrumentation) (1971), Indian Institute of Technology, Madras
Known for	Indian Space Program
Notable awards	ASI Award (2002) VASVIK Award (1997) ISRO Performance Excellence Award (2007)

Parivakkam Subramaniam Veeraraghavan (born on 24 December 1948) space scientist and rocket technologist. He is presently the Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Prior to this, he served as the Director of ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU), Thiruvananthapuram.^[1] One of the most senior scientists at Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Veeraraghavan is known for his contribution to launch vehicle technology, especially in the area of integration and checkout of ISROs launch vehicles. He is a recipient of the ASI Award of the Astronautical Society of India.

Education and career

Veeraraghavan studied in Gopalapuram Boys High School, Chennai. After receiving his bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from College of Engineering, Guindy in 1969, he joined the Master's Programme at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras and received his M.Tech. degree in Electrical and Electronics Instrumentation in 1971. He started his career in Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation in 1971. His first assignment was as Engineer-in-Charge of Checkout System development in the SLV-3 (Satellite Launch Vehicle) Project under the leadership of former ISRO scientist & former President of India, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. He was responsible for the design and development of the Checkout system for the first SLV-3 Project. Shri Veeraraghavan has taken training in CNES, France, in Diamante Launching in 1971-72 and visited major space centres in Japan, U.S.A and France in 1984. At VSSC, he has been the Deputy Director, Mechanisms and Vehicle Integration and Testing (MVIT) and was responsible for integration, check-out and launch of ISRO Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicles (ASLV), Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicles (GSLV), and Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLV).

In 2002, he took over as Director of ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU) at Vattiyoorkavu, Thiruvananthapuram. At IISU he led the teams that developed sensor systems for launch vehicles and satellites. These inertial navigation systems guide the rockets in their trajectory, thus helping them to put the satellites in precise orbits. In 2009, Veeraraghavan took over as Director of VSSC from K. Radhakrishnan who has been appointed Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation.lll

Positions held

Shri Veeraraghavan has made pioneering contributions to ISRO's Launch Vehicle Programmes. As Deputy Director of VSSC - Mechanisms and Vehicle Integration Testing (MVIT) he was responsible for Assembly, Integration and Checkout of ISRO's launch vehicles, PSLV and GSLV till June, 2002.

In 2002, he took over as Director, ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU), Vattiyoorkavu, Thiruvananthapuram. At IISU, he led the teams that developed sensor systems for launch vehicles and satellites. These inertial navigation systems guide the rockets and their trajectory to put the satellite in precise orbits. The performance of these inertial navigation systems has been at par with those of other space fairing nations like Europe and the United States of America with excellent orbit injection accuracy.

The inertial navigation systems supplied by IISU for PSLV-C11 / Chandrayaan-1, India's first mission to the moon, have given very good orbital accuracy and contributed to precise orbital manoeuvres and very accurate lunar injection. Under his able leadership, IISU has developed a number of advanced inertial sensors and systems and now achieved 100% self-reliance in the crucial technology of inertial sensors and systems.

In 2009, Shri Veeraraghavan took over as Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre - VSSC from Dr K Radhakrishnan, who has been appointed as Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation.

Joined Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in 1971 in the erstwhile SLV-3 Project, served in various capacities as per details given below prior to current posting as Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre

• Engineer-in-Charge, Checkout System Development, SLV-3 (1971–1982)
• Deputy Project Director, Electrical Integration and Checkout System (1982–1988)
• Head, Launch Vehicle Integration & Checkout Division, PSLV Project (1988–1993)
• Group Director, Launch Vehicle Integration & Checkout Group (1993–1999)
• Deputy Director, Mechanisms & Vehicle Integration, Testing, VSSC (1999–2002)
• Director, ISRO Inertial Systems Unit, IISU, Thiruvananthapuram (2002–2009)
• Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (November 2009 onwards)

Honors and awards

Veeraraghavan is a recipient of VASVIK Award (Electronics) in 1997. He is also the recipient of the ASI Award of Astronautical Society of India. The 2002 ASI award was in recognition of his contribution to rocket and related technologies.^[2] He has also received ISRO's Performance Excellence Award for 2007.

Fellowships/Memberships

• Fellow, Aeronautical Society of India
• Member, Governing Council, Indian National Academy of Engineering
• Member, Astronautical Society of India
• Member, Indian National Society for Aerospace & Related Mechanisms

Publications

He has guided in publishing more than 1000 technical documents and around 100 technical papers for projects PSLV, GSLV, RSR, SRE, etc. and the various satellite projects of ISRO.

References

1. ^ "Veeraraghavan new VSSC director". The Hindu. 31 October 2009. http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article41439.ece. Retrieved 20 December 2009. 
2. ^ "Shri. P.S. Veeraraghavan". Astronautical Society of India. http://www.asindia.org/veeraraghavan.aspx. Retrieved 20 December 2009. 

External links

• ISRO Press Release
• 'Improve quality of engg education'

Persondata
Name	Veeraraghavan, P. S.
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	24 December 1948
Place of birth	Tamil Nadu, India
Date of death
Place of death