Shri A. S. Kiran Kumar

Shri A. S. Kiran Kumar is Chairman, Physical Research Laboratory Management Council and Member, Space Commission, Govt of India.

He has served as Secretary, Department of Space and Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation, during 2015-2018. 

Shri Kiran Kumar, born on October 22, 1952 in Hassan, Karnataka, holds M.Sc. Degree in Physics (Electronics) from Bangalore University and M.Tech. Degree in Physical Engineering from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. 

He has steered the implementation of the applications oriented Indian Space Programme, which has facilitated rapid development of the country in many important spheres of earth observation, communication, navigation, meteorology and space science, as well as the development of indigenous launch vehicles and related technologies for providing assured access to space.  He has led design and development of more than 50 Electro-Optical Imaging Sensors flown on various Space borne platforms starting from Bhaskara in 1979. Further, his role in the success of Chandrayaan-1 mission and Mars Orbiter Mission has been significant. 

Shri Kiran Kumar has been the Chair of the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) in 2012. He has made valuable contributions to Coordination Group of Meteorological Satellites (CGMS), Expert Team on Satellite Systems – World Meteorological Organisation (ETSAT of WMO) and Indo-US Joint Working Group on Civil Space Cooperation. 

Shri Kiran Kumar has been the President, Aeronautical Society of India.  He is Fellow of Indian National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Sciences India, Indian Society of Remote Sensing, Institution of Electronics & Telecommunications Engineers, Indian Society of Systems for Science & Engineering, Indian Meteorological Society, Indian Society of Geomatics, Gujarat Science Academy, Andhra Pradesh Akademi of Sciences and an elected member of International Academy of Astronautics.  He has been conferred with Honoris Causa and DSc by 18 Indian academic institutions 

He has co-authored 85 publications in various national/international scientific journals/conferences/symposiums. 

In recognition of his contributions, he was conferred Padma Shri by the President of India in 2014.  Other notable honours conferred on him include, Rajyostava Award by for 2015, `Sir M. Visvesvaraya Senior Scientist State Award’ for 2013 by Government of Karnataka, Lifetime Achievement Award from Karnataka Science and Technology Academy in 2016,  IISc Distinguished Alumnus Award for 2015, Gujarat Ratna `Life for Innovation’ Award conferred by Gujarat Innovation Society in 2014, Lifetime Achievement Award by Andhra Pradesh Akademi of Sciences in 2016,  Bharat Ratna Sir M. Visvesvaraya Centenary Award by University of Mysore in 2016, G.M. Modi Science Award in 2016, H K Firodia Vijnan Ratna Award in 2017, Santokbaa Award instituted by SRKKF Surat in 2018 and ISRO Lifetime Achievement Award 2018.  He has been conferred with the prestigious 2018 International von Karman Wings Award instituted by the Aerospace Historical Society, together with the Graduate Aerospace Laboratories at the California Institute of Technology, in 2018 and the Chevalier de l'Ordre national de la Légion d'Honneur – the highest civilian honour by the Government of France in 2019.