Parth Tiwari, an IIT Guwahati graduate and former scientist at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) spoke to Tech Today about his remarkable journey. Tiwari is currently pursuing MBA from the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB). He shared his journey from his tenure at ISRO and working on Chandrayaan-3 mission to his current choice of MBA at IIMB. He talks about insightful perspectives on the challenges and opportunities in India's aerospace industry and his vision for a self-sufficient and globally competitive sector.
Tiwari was part of the Structures design team for the Chandrayaan-3 mission at UR Rao Satellite Centre, ISRO. He noted, “Structural design is crucial for a lunar mission as the spacecraft must withstand extreme mechanical environments during launch and landing. Designing a structure that can bear large and uncertain loads while remaining as light as possible is paradoxical but essential.”
Talking about the challenges, he said, “Chandrayaan-2’s failure provided critical data for redesigning the spacecraft. We accounted for the worst possible scenarios and made incremental improvements and major redesigns, leading to a robust and dependable system.”
Talking about getting into ISRO in the first place, Tiwari said that he had an offer from Stanford University right when he graduated from IIT Guwahati but chose to work for ISRO instead. He stated, “I had an offer to join Stanford University for an MS in Aeronautics and Astronautics right after my BTech in 2017. I wanted to learn what was not taught in India and gain exposure to cutting-edge technology, with the intention of returning to help India develop its own capabilities. However, I could not pass up the opportunity to work for ISRO, and hence, here I am.”
He acknowledged that several young students tend to go abroad to finish their higher education. He said, “It is essential to create an environment that offers exciting opportunities, competitive compensation, a clear career growth path, and thriving collaboration between academia and industry. However, things are changing. People are realising that India is the future for high-tech R&D and manufacturing. Gradually, we will see highly talented professionals returning to India. It is already happening, and we are moving in the right direction.”
When asked about the biggest roadblocks that India faces when it comes to becoming self-sufficient, Tiwari listed a few reasons why ISRO is still lacking behind: limited access to advanced technologies, insufficient funding for R&D, and regulatory hurdles. He said, “Overcoming these challenges requires a multi-faceted approach: increasing investment in aerospace research, forming international partnerships for technology transfer, streamlining regulatory processes, and encouraging private sector participation to drive innovation and growth.”
Tiwari also talked about him opting for Executive Post Graduate Programme in Management (EPGP) at IIM B after working as an engineer for over 7 years and how this decision will help him in the aerospace industry. He stated, “The EPGP program at IIM Bangalore offers an excellent opportunity to learn from a cohort of professionals across various industries. This cross-functional interaction, combined with the curriculum, helps build leadership, management, and strategic thinking skills. These skills, along with my technical knowledge, are crucial for leading large-scale aerospace projects and fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors to drive innovation and efficiency in the aerospace industry. My vision is for India to become self-sufficient in the aerospace sector, from ideation to execution.
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