ISRO Chairman Announces: Dr. V. Narayanan, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Secretary of the Department of Space, announced that India will soon launch Chandrayaan 5 in collaboration with Japan. He also revealed that India is rapidly progressing toward establishing its own space station by the year 2035.
Dr. Narayanan was speaking at the Amrita Innovation and Research Awards (AIRA) ceremony held at the Amritapuri Ashram, organized by Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham as part of the five-day Amrita Research and Innovation Symposium for Excellence (ARISE 2025).
Reflecting on India’s remarkable journey in space technology, Dr. Narayanan said, “A country that once carried parts of space vehicles on bicycles and bullock carts is now capable of launching over a hundred satellites in a single mission. That country is India. Today, India holds several rare milestones in the field of space technology.”
The AIRA awards recognize outstanding contributions in research and innovation by the faculty, scientists, and researchers of Amrita University. This year, the total cash prizes amounted to nearly ₹8 crores, along with commemorative plaques and certificates. Scientists who have been included in Stanford University’s global list of the top 2% scientists were also honoured during the ceremony.
A total of 27 scientists from Amrita University were featured in this prestigious list, highlighting the institution’s growing global academic and research excellence.
The award ceremony was presided over by Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma), Chancellor of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, in the presence of Dr. V. Narayanan. Also in attendance were Swami Amritaswarupananda Puri, President of the university; Dr. Venkat Rangan, Vice Chancellor; Dr. K. Sankaran, Registrar; Dr. Maneesha V. Ramesh, Provost; and Deans Dr. Balakrishnan Shankar, Dr. Krishnasree Achuthan, and Dr. Geetha Kumar.
About Amrita University:
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham is a distinguished multi-campus, multidisciplinary university, accredited with an A++ rating by NAAC. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham is ranked 81st globally in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2024, showcasing its dedication to meaningful education and research. The university spans nine campuses across five states. The university holds two UNESCO Chairs—one for Experiential Learning for Sustainable Innovation & Development and another for Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment.
Headquartered in Coimbatore, Amrita operates across nine campuses in five states and is involved in over 500 global collaborations, including with Harvard University and the University of Oxford. Founded by Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma), Amrita continues to embody her vision of education and research driven by universal values.
