NEW DELHI: An engineer-turned-space sector administrator Pawan Kumar Goenka, who is the chairman of space regulator and promoter Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (INSPACe) and is also leading a trade promotion panel, has been selected for the Padma Shri award.
Besides his significant contribution to the space sector as space regulator, Goenka, who earlier worked as CEO of Mahindra Group, is also the chairperson of the Steering Committee for Advancing Local value-add and Employment (SCALE), an initiative under the ministry of commerce & industry.
Goenka, who earned his B Tech from IIT-Kanpur, PhD from Cornell University, US, and graduated in advanced management programme from Harvard Business School, also serves as the chairman of the Board of Governors of IIT Madras.
Talking to TOI, Goenka said, “I am deeply honoured to receive the Padma Shri. This recognition is a testament to not just my personal journey, but also to the caring and supportive family, extraordinary teams and visionary institutions that have supported me along the way. I hope it inspires many more to innovate, collaborate, and help shape India’s future in technology, especially in mobility and space.”
Lauding him, Union commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said on X, “Congratulations to IN-SPACe Chairman P K Goenkaji on being honoured with the Padma Shri for his remarkable contributions towards strengthening India’s space sector & his work in developing state of the art automotive capabilities. I have had the privilege of having several insightful discussions with him at DPIIT’s Scale Committee on boosting India’s Aatmanirbharta. Confident that with his extensive experience and unwavering commitment to excellence, he will continue to enhance India’s position in the global space landscape and drive further advancements.”
IIT Kanpur also sent a congratulatory message on X, “Dr Goenka’s recent contributions in uplifting the country’s space economy while also powering private entrepreneurs to drive this growth has created immense impact in the growth of the sector. He is internationally recognized for his pioneering work in engine tribology. His methods for the analysis of engine bearing and engine friction still remain in use as a common reference in automotive engineering. He is an expert in vehicular emission control and alternative fuels.”
Goenka had earlier worked in General Motors R&D Centre, Detroit, for 14 years and at Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd for 28 years. At Mahindra, he led the development of the Scorpio SUV and built a strong R&D infrastructure and a robust product portfolio. He retired from M&M as MD & CEO on April 1, 2021.