Dr. A.E. Muthunayagam, a veteran space scientist closely associated with the development of India’s liquid propulsion technology, has been conferred with the Padma Shri as part of the country’s 77th Republic Day honours announced on 26 January. He was recognised in the field of science and engineering.
The 88-year-old scientist played a key role during the formative decades of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and is widely regarded as one of the principal architects of India’s indigenous liquid propulsion capabilities.
Muthunayagam founded and headed the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) from 1985, serving as its director for nearly a decade. During this period, India developed and operationalised liquid propulsion systems that enabled the transition from solid-fuel-only launch vehicles to more complex configurations. These systems became critical to the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and later the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) programmes.
He was closely associated with the development of the Vikas engine, which remains a core propulsion system in several Indian launch vehicles, and was involved in international technology collaborations, including programmes undertaken with French aerospace agencies.
After completing his tenure at ISRO, Muthunayagam served as Secretary of the Department of Ocean Development, which has since been reorganised as the Ministry of Earth Sciences. In this role, he worked on initiatives related to deep-sea exploration, ocean resources and ocean energy.
His academic background includes a doctorate in engineering from Purdue University in 1965. He later obtained a law degree from the University of Kerala in 1975, a step he has previously said was intended to help him better engage with legal and regulatory aspects of international technology cooperation. He also served as Chairman of the Board of Governors at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras from 2005 to 2008 and held senior positions in Kerala’s science and technology administration.
Muthunayagam was among the early group of scientists recruited by Vikram Sarabhai in the 1960s, during the initial phase of India’s space programme. The Padma Shri is India’s fourth-highest civilian honour and is usually presented by the President of India at a formal ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan later in the year.
