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K. Sivan (ISRO Chief) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 6, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth14 April 1957

Age66 Years

BirthplaceMela Sarakkalvilai, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, India

ProfessionScientist; Chairperson of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseMalathi Sivan

FamilySons - Sushanth (Engineer), Siddharth

K. Sivan (ISRO Chief) Biography

Kailasavadivoo Sivan is an Indian aerospace scientist who served as chairperson of the Indian Space Research Organisation. Rising from a small village in K

Early life and background

Kailasavadivoo Sivan was born on 14 April 1957 in Mela Sarakkalvilai, a village in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu. He grew up in a farming family; his father, Kailasavadivoonadar, worked as a paddy and mango farmer. Sivan attended local Tamil-medium schools in Mela Sarakkalvilai and Vallankumaranvilai and later became the first graduate from his family and reportedly the first graduate from his village.

He completed a Bachelor of Science at South Travancore Hindu College, Nagercoil, and went on to earn an engineering degree from the Madras Institute of Technology in 1980. He obtained a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, in 1982 and later a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, in 2007.

Sivan has described humble beginnings that included helping on his family’s farm. His upbringing and early schooling were characterized by limited resources, and his family made sacrifices to enable his higher education.

Career

Sivan joined the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 1982. Over the following decades he contributed to many of India’s rocket programmes, working on planning, design, integration and analysis for missions such as the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and later on the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) project.

He gained recognition for developing cryogenic engines and for expertise with 6D trajectory simulation software, tools used to predict and plan rocket flight paths. In 2011 he joined the GSLV project, and he also worked on reusable launch vehicle efforts.

In leadership roles, Sivan served as director of ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre in 2014 and as director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in 2015. He was appointed chairperson of ISRO on 15 January 2018, succeeding A. S. Kiran Kumar.

Under his chairmanship, ISRO launched its second lunar exploration mission, Chandrayaan 2, which lifted off on 22 July 2019. Earlier in his career he played an important role in the record-setting PSLV-C37 mission that deployed 104 satellites in a single launch in February 2015.

Public profile

Sivan has been widely referred to by the informal sobriquet "Rocket Man" in recognition of his technical contributions to India’s cryogenic propulsion and launch capabilities. He has received numerous awards and honors over his career, including the Dr. Vikram Sarabhai Research Award (1999), the ISRO Merit Award (2007), the Dr. Biren Roy Space Science and/or Design Award (2011), and several distinguished alumnus recognitions from his institutes. Academic honors include a Doctor of Science degree from Sathyabhama University, Chennai, and awards such as the Vigyan Rattan and the Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Award from the Government of Tamil Nadu in 2019.

Sivan has spoken publicly about setbacks and challenges he faced early in his career, including being turned away from one ISRO centre after his master’s degree before finding his path in rocket engineering. He has described how those early setbacks informed his later persistence and pride in leading projects that were initially viewed sceptically by colleagues.

Personal life

Sivan is married to Malathi Sivan, who is described as a homemaker. The couple have two sons, Sushanth, who is an engineer, and Siddharth. His parents are named Kailasavadivoonadar and Chellamall. He has one brother and two sisters.

Religious practice and personal interests are part of his public persona; he is described as devout, regularly visiting temples, and practicing religious observances prior to major missions. Hobbies reported include reading, travel, listening to Tamil classical music and gardening. His favourite foods are noted as dal-chawal and South Indian cuisine.

Latest updates

In October 2023, at a convocation ceremony, Sivan reflected on his early ambitions to be a teacher and recounted his experience of being rejected at an ISRO satellite centre prior to later becoming head of an ISRO centre and ultimately the organisation itself. His remarks underscored the arc of his career from early obstacles to institutional leadership.

Sivan’s tenure as ISRO chairperson included high-profile missions and public attention, including reactions from national leaders following Chandrayaan 2. He remains a prominent figure in India’s space community for both technical contributions and his personal story of advancement from a rural background to the leadership of the country’s space agency.
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Recent Work

Chandrayaan 2 (as ISRO Chairperson)

Oversaw ISRO during the launch of India’s second lunar exploration mission on 22 July 2019.

2019
PSLV-C37 mission (contributor)

Played a key role in the mission that launched 104 satellites in a single flight in February 2015.

2015
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Career Highlights

  1. Joined ISRO in 1982 and contributed to major rocket programmes including PSLV and GSLV
  2. Director of ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (2014)
  3. Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (2015)
  4. Chairperson of ISRO (appointed 15 January 2018)
  5. Developed cryogenic engines and worked on 6D trajectory simulation software
  6. Oversaw Chandrayaan 2 launch in July 2019
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was K. Sivan (ISRO Chief) born?

14 April 1957

What is K. Sivan (ISRO Chief) known for?

Scientist; Chairperson of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)

What is K. Sivan (ISRO Chief)’s marital status?

Married

Who is K. Sivan (ISRO Chief) married to?

Malathi Sivan