Former ISRO chairperson K Radhakrishnan has been appointed the new head of the Board of Governors of IIT-Bombay, bringing decades of scientific and administrative experience to one of India’s premier engineering institutes. His three-year term began on November 17, marking a key leadership shift at the institution.
Radhakrishnan succeeds Sharad Saraf, the first IIT-Bombay alumnus to serve as BoG chairperson, who completed his tenure this month. IIT-Bombay highlighted Radhakrishnan’s wide-ranging contributions to India’s space and research ecosystem, noting that his leadership is expected to strengthen the institute’s academic, research, and global engagement goals.
A Padma Bhushan awardee, Radhakrishnan led ISRO from 2009 to 2014, a period known for major achievements, including the successful launch of Mangalyaan, India’s Mars Orbiter Mission. Beyond ISRO, he has played a central role in shaping national science policy and higher education reforms. He previously chaired the Board of Governors at IIT-Kanpur and headed several key committees of the Union education ministry, focused on developing frameworks for overseas campuses, improving national accreditation standards, and reforming entrance examinations.
Radhakrishnan continues to be deeply involved in national research initiatives. He currently leads expert panels under the Department of Science and Technology for major programmes such as SATHI and SAIF, which aim to enhance advanced research infrastructure across India. He also heads the Apex Review Committee for the PAIR programme under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation, which focuses on innovation and collaborative research.
With the new appointment, IIT-Bombay looks set to benefit from Radhakrishnan’s long record of institution-building and scientific leadership. His experience across space exploration, education policy, and research governance is expected to support the institute’s ambitions in global rankings, innovation, and interdisciplinary research.
