In a surprising revelation, ISRO Chairman S Somnath disclosed that he was diagnosed with cancer on the same day India's Aditya-L1 mission embarked on its historic journey into space. The ISRO chief unveiled this personal battle during an interview with a media group, recounting the discovery of a stomach growth through a morning scan conducted on the launch day.

After the launch, he went to Chennai and underwent more tests. Somnath noted that he was hospitalised for four days and resumed work on the fifth day after treatment. He added that now he has completely recovered from the cancer.

Somanath hails from Alappuzha's Thuravoor. He completed his pre-degree from Ernakulam Maharajas College, UG degree in mechanical engineering from TKM College of Engineering, Kollam, and master's in aerospace engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. Joining ISRO in 1985, he has contributed immensely to the design of the launch vehicles. Somanath was instrumental in developing the GSLV Mk-III launcher. He is also credited for making enormous contributions to develop PSLV in the early days of his career. Somanath is the fourth Malayali to reach the top of the strategically important institute.