Mylswamy Annadurai

Mylswamy Annadurai

M. Annadurai
Born 2 July 1958
Kothavadi, Tamil Nadu, India
Residence India
Nationality Indian
Fields Aerospace Engineering
Institutions Indian Space Research Organisation
Alma mater Government College of Technology, Coimbatore
PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore
Anna University of Technology, Coimbatore
Known for Chandrayaan I, Chandrayaan-2, Mangalyaan, Indian space program
Notes
Program Director,
Chandrayaan I, Chandrayaan-2 and Mangalyaan

Mylswamy Annadurai (born 2 July 1958, in Kodhawady near Pollachi in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, India)[1][2] is a scientist with the Indian Space Research Organization and currently serves as Director, ISRO Satellite Centre(ISAC), Bangalore . Prior to that he was working as Programme Director for IRS&SSS (Indian Remote Sensing & Small, Science and Student Satellites) that include Chandrayaan-1, Chandrayaan-2, ASTROSAT, Aditya-1, Mars Orbiter Mission and many Indian Remote Sensing missions. Annadurai and his works are mentioned in 10th standard Science Text Book of Tamil Nadu.[3] He is also the Honorary Editor for a Tamil Periodical on Science, " Valarum Ariviyal".[4] Annadurai has been listed among 100 Global thinkers of 2014 and tops the innovators list "[5]

Early life and education

Mylswamy Annadurai has his schooling in his native village Kodhawady. He has obtained a Bachelors in Engineering degree at 1980 from Government College of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India and completed his Masters Degree in Engineering on 1982 from PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore and Ph.D from Anna University of Technology, Coimbatore Tamil Nadu in India. He joined ISRO in 1982. As the Mission Director of INSAT missions he has some of the original contributions to the INSAT systems maintenance.[6]

He studied his primary in Union Elementary School in his native village. He moved to government school and completed his schooling up to 11th standard as there was no 12th standard in those days.His education journey continued and he completed his PUC in NGM College, Pollachi, B.E in Government College of Technology, Coimbatore. In 1980-82, he pursued his higher education and acquired his M.E. degree in PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore and the same year he joined in ISRO as a scientist. And later he got PhD in Anna University of Technology,Coimbatore. Presently, Annadurai is the leading technologist in the field of satellite system.

Annadurai writes a regular column, "Kaiyaruke Sevvai".[7] ("Mars is at our Reach") in the Tamil Daily Dina Thanthi. He is approachable through Facebook.[8] Annadurai and his works are mentioned in 10th standard Science Text Book of Tamil Nadu.[3] He is also the Honorary Editor for a Tamil Periodical on Science, " Valarum Ariviyal"

Mars Orbiter Mission

Main article: Mars Orbiter Mission

India's first mission to Mars, the Mars Orbiter Mission, or Mangalyaan, reached the planet on September 24, 2014 completing its 300 day journey. While ISRO has been researching for a Mars mission since years, the project was only approved by the government in August 2012. ISRO took over a year to work on the spacecraft and bring the project to implementation stage. The Mars Orbiter Mission was launched on 5 November 2013 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, on the country's east coast. After travelling 670 million kilometres, Mangalyaan is now set to study the surface features, morphology, mineralogy and Martian atmosphere to better understand the climate, geology, origin, evolution and sustainability of life on the planet. It is the most cost effective of all the missions sent to the planet by any other country costing India about $74 million.[9]

Chandrayaan I & II

Chandrayaan-1, was India's first mission to the Moon launched by India's national space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The unmanned lunar exploration mission included a lunar orbiter and an impactor. India launched the spacecraft by a modified version of the PSLV C11 on 22 October 2008 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Nellore District, Andhra Pradesh about 80 km north of Chennai at 06:22 IST (00:52 UTC). The mission was a major boost to India's space program, and India joined a band of Asian nations (China and Japan) in exploring the Moon. The vehicle was successfully inserted into lunar orbit on 8 November 2008.

During the period 2004-2008, as the Project Director for Chandrayaan-1, he led a team of engineers and scientists that designed and developed the project to carry instrumentation from ISRO and from NASA, ESA, and Bulgaria to accomplish simultaneous chemical, mineralogical, resource and topographic mapping of the entire lunar surface at high spatial and spectral resolutions. The project was realized within the time frame stipulated and the budget granted. He has paved the way for the future of Indian planetary missions and set an example for the international co-operation bringing the reputed international organizations like NASA, ESA, JAXA to work under the leadership of ISRO. Chandrayaan-1 has received many national and international awards including, the coveted Space Pioneers award for science and engineering at 28th International conference on Space development, in Florida USA in 2009.[10]

Presently Annadurai is leading the Indian Remote Sensing, Science, Small Satellites Programme as Programme Director. The programme include many satellites namely Project Mars Orbiter Mission, project Chandrayaan-2, Indian Lunar Landing mission meant for insitu mineral and chemical analysis of lunar soil and many more.

Previous Assignments

Prior to the present appointment, Annadurai was in Charge of India's National Communication satellite (INSAT) missions as the Mission Director. He has also served as the Associate Project director, for GSAT-3EDUSAT. He was the member secretary of the task team that prepared Chandrayaan-1 project report. He is the author of several research papers in his specialisation.

During his holidays Annadurai tours across the country to meet and interact with the students to encourage them to study science. Through his inspirational talks he has become a role model among the children and youngsters. His talks and writings are more sought and attended to by the academia and the professionals.

Awards and achievements

Annadurai's publications and works are being widely referred by satellite operator's, one of his work has been referred in a US patent . He has written two books in Tamil namely, "Kaiyaruke Nila" and "Ariviyal Kalanjiyam". The Book" Kaiyaruke Nila" has won S. P. Adithanar Literary award for the year 2013.

Annadurai and his works are mentioned in 10th standard Science Text Book of Tamil Nadu.[3]

Other awards

References

External links