From ISRO to Skyroot: The Story of Pawan Chandana and Bharath Daka Behind India's Vikram-1 Milestone

New Delhi: Two former ISRO scientists have turned a bold vision into a landmark achievement for India's private space sector. Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka, founders of Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace, have led the company to launch Vikram-1, marking India's first private orbital mission.

The duo established Skyroot Aerospace in 2018 with the goal of making satellite launches more accessible, affordable and as routine as commercial air travel. Today, Chandana serves as the company's Chief Executive Officer, while Daka is the Chief Operating Officer. Together, they lead a team of more than 1,000 engineers and professionals working on rocket design, propulsion, avionics and launch systems.

Pawan Kumar Chandana's journey began at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, where he secured admission after clearing the IIT entrance examination on his first attempt. Despite lucrative career opportunities in the technology sector, his passion for space science drew him to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Recruited directly from the IIT campus, Chandana worked on the GSLV Mk III, India's heaviest launch vehicle, and received an internal innovation award for his contributions. During his six-year tenure at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, he gained extensive experience in rocket design and development, laying the foundation for his entrepreneurial journey.

Co-founder Naga Bharath Daka also brought valuable ISRO experience to Skyroot. Before launching the startup, he worked as a flight computer engineer, where he developed advanced avionics systems for India's launch vehicles.

An IIT Madras alumnus, Daka holds a master's degree in Microelectronics and VLSI Design, along with a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering. His expertise in avionics, semiconductor technologies and FPGA systems has been instrumental in developing Skyroot's launch vehicles.

With Vikram-1, Chandana and Daka have demonstrated how homegrown innovation and private enterprise are reshaping India's space ambitions, opening a new chapter in the country's rapidly expanding commercial space ecosystem.

With inputs from IANS