FIle photo of engineers at ISRO. (Reuters)
Dr M Annadurai, who made major contributions in India's Mars and Moon missions, has assumed the office of Director, ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC) in Bengaluru.
Mr Annadurai, Outstanding Scientist and Programme Director, Indian Remote Sensing Satellites and Small Satellite Systems of ISAC, succeeds SK Shivakumar, who superannuated on March 31, Indian Space Research Organisation said.
Joining ISRO in 1982, Mr Annadurai began his career at ISAC as the team leader to design and develop Software Satellite Simulator.
During the period 1992-2005, he was the lead member of ISRO's satellite mission team and managed eight INSAT Missions as Mission Director and brought about the efficient ground automation for satellite operations.
As Project Director, Mr Annadurai made the most crucial contribution to the realisation of India's first Lunar Mission, Chandrayaan-1, which won many appreciations and awards including the prestigious Space Pioneer Award, 2009, ISRO said in a release.
In 2011, Mr Annadurai became Programme Director of Indian Remote Sensing Satellites and Small Satellite Systems and realised five satellite projects.
His other major contribution is the realisation of the successful Mars Orbiter Mission in record time.
Among the notable awards he has received are Team Excellence Award from ISRO for his Contribution to Indian Space Programme (2007), National Aeronautical Award-2008 from Aeronautical Society of India and Rajyotsava Award for Science (2008) from Government of Karnataka, besides Doctor of Science conferred by five Universities.
Mr Annadurai,who assumed charge as ISAC Director on April 1, has 75 papers to his credit and authored three books.