Nambi Narayanan is an Indian engineer falsely accused of espionage and arrested in 1994. After spending 50 days in prison, he was released on bail. In 1996, the charges against him were dropped. In 1998, he was reinstated to his previous position at the Indian Space Research Organization.
Early life and education
Nambi Narayanan was born on October 15, 1941 in Kannur district, Kerala, India. After completing his studies in Thalassery and Chennai, he obtained a degree in physics from the Hindu University of Banaras in 1963. He then obtained a master’s degree (1965) and a doctorate (1967) in theoretical physics from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Bombay.
Engineering career
Nambi Narayanan is an Indian engineer who worked for the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and is credited with several pioneering contributions in cryogenics. He was falsely accused of spying for Pakistan and arrested in 1994, which led to his 50-day imprisonment. He was later cleared of all charges and awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2019.
Narayanan was born on October 31, 1942 in Kannur district, Kerala state, India. After completing his education, he studied Physics at Government Victoria College, Palakkad and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Kerala in 1962. He then joined the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur for his postgraduate studies cycle and obtained a master of science. in 1965. Narayanan then joined ISRO as a scientist.
During his tenure at ISRO, Narayanan made significant contributions to the development of cryogenic engines for the Indian space program. In the 1980s, he played a key role in the design and development of the Vikas engine, which powers the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). The PSLV has since become ISRO’s launch vehicle and has been used to launch numerous satellites into orbit.
In 1994, Narayanan was falsely accused of leaking classified information to Pakistani intelligence agents. He was arrested and imprisoned for 50 days before being cleared of all charges. The incident had a profound impact on Narayanan and he later wrote a book about it titled Orbiting My India.
In 2019, Narayanan was awarded the Padma Bhushan, one of India’s highest civilian honours, by President Ram Nath Kovind.
Arrest and imprisonment
In 1994, Nambi Narayanan was arrested for spying and selling secrets in Pakistan. He was tortured in prison and spent more than 50 days in solitary confinement. He was eventually exonerated by the Indian Supreme Court in 1998 and awarded compensation of Rs 1 crore.
Release and exemption
In 1994, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the case and arrested Nambi Narayanan in connection with the spy scandal. The CBI alleged he was part of a plot to sell India’s secrets to two Pakistani intelligence officers.
In 1996, the Supreme Court of India ruled that the evidence against Narayanan was fabricated and that he had been tortured while in police custody. The court cleared him of all charges and ordered that he be compensated for his ordeal.
In 1998, the Indian government formally apologized to Narayanan for his wrongful arrest and imprisonment.
Later life and work
Nambi Narayanan is an Indian engineer who was falsely accused of espionage in 1994. He was later cleared of all charges and awarded the Padma Bhushan, one of India’s highest civilian honours, in 2018.
Narayanan was born in Kerala, India in 1941. He studied physics at the University of Kerala and received his master’s degree from the University of Delhi. He then studied nuclear physics at the University of Virginia, where he obtained his doctorate.
In 1974, Narayanan started working for the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) as a project manager. He worked on several important projects including the development of India’s first cryogenic engine.
In 1994, Narayanan was charged with passing classified information to Pakistan. He was arrested and spent 50 days in jail before being cleared of all charges. The incident had a profound effect on Narayanan, and he devoted himself to fighting for the rights of others who had been falsely accused.
In 2018, Narayanan received the Padma Bhushan, one of India’s highest civilian honours, for his contributions to science and technology.
Awards and Recognition
Nambi Narayanan was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian honor, in 2019. He was also awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian honor, in 1990. In 2018, he was awarded Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Lifetime Achievement Award.
Private life
Nambi Narayanan was born on October 14, 1949 in Ottapalam, a small town in the Palakkad district of Kerala, India. Her father was a civil servant and her mother was a housewife. Narayanan had his early education in Ottapalam and Theni, before moving to Tiruchirappalli to study at the National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli (NITT), where he earned a degree in Aerospace Engineering. He then obtained his master’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT Madras).
In 1974 Narayanan married Dhanalakshmi Thirunal Ramaraja Lakshmi Bayi, Maharani of Travancore and they have two daughters.
Heritage
Nambi Narayanan’s legacy is that of a man who fought for justice and ultimately won. In 2018, India’s Supreme Court ruled that Narayanan was “the victim of grave injustice” and ordered the Kerala government to pay him Rs 50 lakhs in compensation. The court also censured the state police for their handling of the case, saying they had “acted in an authoritarian manner” and caused “tremendous hardship and indignity” to Narayanan.
