Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology

The Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), located in Thiruvananthapuram, operates as a Deemed University under Section 3 of the UGC Act 1956. Functioning autonomously under the Department of Space, Government of India, IIST was conceptualized to address the demand for high-quality human resources for the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), a globally prominent scientific organization engaged in space research and applications.

Pioneering as the first institution of its kind in India, IIST is dedicated to providing top-tier education at the undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and post-doctoral levels, with a distinct emphasis on space sciences, space technology, and space applications. Formally inaugurated on September 14, 2007, by Dr. G. Madhavan Nair, the then Chairman of ISRO, the institute initially operated from the premises of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, situated in close proximity to where ISRO developed and launched its inaugural rocket.

The institute's founding figures, Dr. G. Madhavan Nair and Dr. B.N. Suresh, the latter serving as the first Director of IIST, played pivotal roles in the institute's formation. Their contributions were instrumental in realizing the vision of IIST. Dr. B.N. Suresh led the institute's journey from conceptualization to the establishment of a permanent campus near Thiruvananthapuram in 2010.