S Somnath, Chief of the Indian orbit Research Organization (Isro), was diagnosed with cancer on the same day that India’s Aditya-L1 mission went into orbit.
“There were some health concerns during the Chandrayaan-3 mission launch. However, it was unclear to me at the time, and I did not have a thorough knowledge of it,” Somnath said.
He claimed that he was diagnosed on the same day that the Aditya-L1 mission was launched. The diagnosis shocked not only him, but also his family and coworkers, who had been at his side during this difficult time.
On September 2, 2023, as India’s first space-based solar observatory, Aditya L1, set off to study the Sun, S Somnath received a regular scan that revealed a tumor in his stomach.
This surprising revelation sent him to Chennai for more scans, which confirmed the existence of a genetic condition. Within days, it was verified that he faced a serious health struggle in addition to his professional commitments.
“I wasn’t sure about a complete cure at the time; I was going through the process,” he said, emphasizing the continuous nature of his struggle with cancer.
However, his recuperation has been nothing short of remarkable. After only four days in the hospital, he returned to work at Isro on the fifth day, pain-free.
“I will get frequent exams and scans. But now I am entirely cured and have resumed my work,” Somnath said.