ISRO chief S Somanath reveals battle with cancer, says he was diagnosed on day of Aditya Solar mission launch

In a recent interview, S Somanath, the chief of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), disclosed that he was diagnosed with cancer on the day of the Aditya-L1 solar mission launch.

India's maiden solar observatory, Aditya-L1, embarked on its journey to the Sun-Earth Lagrangian point 1 atop PSLV-C57 on September 2. Following a four-month voyage in space, it reached its intended orbit around the L1 point on January 6.

In an interview with Tarmak Media House in Malayalam, Somanath recounted, “There were some health issues during Chandrayaan 3. However, I did not have a clear understanding about it.”


He further revealed that two months later, on the day of the Aditya-L1 launch, a morning scan unveiled a growth in his stomach. "That was when I realised that I had a growth in my stomach. I gained a clue about it as soon as the launch occurred,” said Somanath.

Upon undergoing subsequent tests in Chennai within 2-3 days, it was confirmed to be a hereditary disease. Prompted by this diagnosis, he underwent surgery followed by chemotherapy.

Reflecting on his journey, Somanath shared, “Following Aditya-L1, I was advised to undergo an operation. The operation was performed. After that, I underwent chemotherapy.”

While the news initially came as a shock to his family, Somanath emphasized, “But now, I perceive cancer and its treatment as a solution. There is a message that it is not incurable.”

Asserting his current health status, he stated, “I will be undergoing regular check-ups every year. I will be undergoing scans. But now, I am completely cured. I have resumed my duties.”

S Somanath assumed the role of secretary, department of Space, and chairman, space commission, on January 14, 2022. Prior to this, he served as the director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC).

With expertise in system engineering of launch vehicles, Somanath’s contributions to the architecture, propulsion stages design, and integration procedures of PSLV and GSLV Mk-III have been significant.