Former ISRO scientists Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka are leading India’s commercial space sector through their Hyderabad-based startup, Skyroot Aerospace.
Founded in 2018, the company achieved global recognition by launching India’s first private rocket in 2022.
For decades, space exploration in India was the exclusive domain of the state-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Long waiting lists and high costs meant commercial satellite launches remained out of reach for many.
But a quiet revolution is underway, driven by two former ISRO scientists who decided to step out of the state agency to make space more accessible.
Who are Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka
In 2018, Chandana and Daka founded Skyroot Aerospace in Hyderabad. Their goal was simple yet ambitious, to make launching a satellite as routine and affordable as booking a commercial flight
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Today, Chandana serves as Chief Executive Officer and Daka as Chief Operating Officer, leading a team of over 1,000 experts. Together, they have managed to bridge the gap between India’s traditional space heritage and the agility of a modern startup.
A landmark launch that made history
The company made history in 2022 with Mission Prarambh, successfully launching Vikram-S, India’s first privately developed rocket. This achievement proved that home-grown private companies could build and launch reliable aerospace hardware of their own.
Even before this milestone, Skyroot had already made waves by successfully testing Raman-1, India’s first private rocket engine, in 2020, followed by the cryogenic engine Dhawan-1 in 2021. The company’s technical momentum has stayed strong since then, with Skyroot recently clearing critical tests for its flagship orbital vehicle, Vikram-1.
Global investors are taking notice
This strong technological track record has attracted major financial backing from around the world. Skyroot has raised 160 million US dollars from leading international investors like GIC and Temasek, pushing the startup’s valuation to 1.1 billion US dollars.
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Shaping the future of India’s space industry
As India opens up its space sector to commercial players, Chandana and Daka are showing that the country can become a dominant global hub for cost-effective satellite launches, changing the shape of the global space race for good.
FAQS
Q1. Who founded Skyroot Aerospace?
Former ISRO scientists Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka founded it in 2018.
Q2. Where is Skyroot Aerospace based?
Hyderabad, India.
