A. E. Muthunayagam

A. E. Muthunayagam is often called the father of liquid propulsion technology in India. He spent nearly three decades building the rocket engines behind ISRO’s launch vehicles, then six years running India’s ocean research. In 2026 he was named for the Padma Shri in the field of science and engineering, from Kerala ^[1].

Training

Muthunayagam was born on 11 January 1939 ^[2]. He studied mechanical engineering at the University of Madras (1960), took a master’s in power engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru (1962), and earned a PhD from Purdue University in the United States in 1965 ^[2]. Much later, in 1975, he also completed a law degree at Kerala University ^[2].

Building ISRO’s engines

After working on a NASA-sponsored project in the US, he joined ISRO in 1966 under Vikram Sarabhai ^[2]. As the first director of ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Centre, he turned it into the organisation’s hub for every kind of liquid-fuel system used in its rockets and spacecraft ^[2]. He also set up the engine test facilities at Mahendragiri, which later grew into the independent ISRO Propulsion Complex ^[2].

Work under his leadership included a high-thrust liquid stage built with Viking engine technology transferred from France, and an Indian-made upper stage that can shut off and restart. Both are used on the PSLV and GSLV ^[2]. He also started India’s own cryogenic engine programme and took part in talks with Russia on cryogenic technology ^[2].

Turning to the oceans

In April 1995, after 29 years in the space programme, he was appointed Secretary of the Department of Ocean Development ^[2]. Over the next six years he set up three autonomous institutes: the National Institute of Ocean Technology in Chennai, the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research in Goa, and INCOIS, the ocean information centre in Hyderabad ^[2]. He also chaired the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission’s regional body for the Central Indian Ocean (1996–2001) ^[2].

He holds an Indian patent for a sea-water desalination process ^[2]. His honours include ISRO’s Outstanding Achievement Award (2008) and the Aeronautical Society of India’s Aryabhatta Award (2010) ^[2].