Former ISRO Chairman Dr. S. Somanath has joined Chennai-based AgniKul Cosmos as a Board Observer, ahead of the startup’s Mission 02. While the appointment is a major boost for AgniKul, it has also reignited discussions about the growing migration of experienced scientists from ISRO to India’s private space companies. This trend has accelerated since the government opened the space sector to private participation.
Industry experts say India’s space reforms have created exciting opportunities for startups, but they have also triggered concerns over a potential brain drain at ISRO. Senior scientists, launch vehicle experts, propulsion engineers, and mission specialists are increasingly moving to private firms that offer faster innovation cycles, greater flexibility, stock ownership opportunities, and significantly higher compensation.
Somanath’s move is among the most high-profile examples of this shift. During his tenure at ISRO, he led landmark missions such as Chandrayaan-3 and played a key role in advancing India’s launch vehicle programme. His experience is expected to strengthen AgniKul as it prepares Mission 02, which aims to demonstrate India’s first recovery of an orbital-class rocket booster along with advanced orbital-stage technologies.
The trend extends beyond a single appointment. Several former ISRO scientists and engineers have joined or founded private space companies, including Skyroot Aerospace, AgniKul Cosmos, Bellatrix Aerospace, and Pixxel. While this transfer of expertise is helping build a globally competitive private space ecosystem, experts caution that ISRO must strengthen recruitment, career growth, and talent retention to ensure the national space agency continues to lead India’s future space ambitions alongside the rapidly growing private sector.
