Chandrayaan 3: How Tamil Nadu is connected with ISRO's lunar mission

What is so uniquely common about the Chandrayaan series that started off with the maiden lunar mission back in 2008? A Tamil connection.

Watch: ISRO scientists seek blessings with Chandrayaan-3 model at Tirupati temple

After Tamil Nadu-born Mayilsamy Annadurai and M Vanitha helmed Chandrayaan 1 and 2, Villupuram native P Veeramuthuvel will be overseeing the third mission that would be fired towards the moon onboard the heavy launch vehicle, LVM3-M4 from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, on Friday (July 14).

Also read: Chandrayaan-3: All eyes on ISRO as country eagerly awaits lunar mission launch on July 14

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), under its chairmanship of the soft-spoken S Somanath, aims to enter an elite league of nations that have mastered the art of soft landing on the lunar surface, with a similar attempt made in 2008 not fetching the desired results.

Veeramuthuvel, aged about 46 years, is currently project director of Chandrayaan-3 mission under the leadership of Somanath.

Also read: Chandrayaan-3 mission by ISRO aims to master lunar surface soft landing

Hailing from a small family in Tamil Nadu’s Villupuram district, Ph.D holder Veeramuthuvel is an alumnus of the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras.

He succeeds Vanitha who was the project director of Chandrayaan-2 mission under the leadership of then ISRO Chief K Sivan.

Also read: Chandrayaan-3: 10 key upgrades that improve chances of ISRO’s Moon mission

Vanitha also became the first woman project director in ISRO’s history.

Mayilsamy Annadurai was hailed as the “Moon Man of India” after he helmed the maiden Chandrayaan mission in 2008.

Also read: A successful Chandrayaan-3 mission would see India enter elite club: Nambi Narayanan

Interestingly, former President, the late Dr A P J Abdul Kalam who led India’s rocket programme hails from Tamil Nadu’s Rameswaram.

(With agency inputs)