Prem Shankar Goel did his BE in Electrical Engineering from University of Jodhpur, ME in Applied Electronics and Servomechanism from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore and PhD from Bangalore University. He started his career initiating activity on Satellite Altitude Control System for spinning RS-1 satellite at Trivandrum and later moved to Bangalore as part of Arya Bhata Project team. He was Chairman, Spacecraft System Advisory Board for IRS-1; Project Engineer, AOCS for APPLE; and Associate Project Director of INSAT-2. He was Head, Control System Division; Group Director of AOCS; Deputy Director, Mission and Control Area; Associate Director of ISAC; and was Director, ISRO Satellite Centre (1997-2005). He was secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences(2005-2008) and later Chairman RAC, DRDO. Currently, he is Prof MGK menon DRDO Chair and Honorary Distinguished ISRO Professor.

Academic and Research Contributions: Dr Goel developed spin-axis orientation system for Bhaskara I and II satellites; magnetic control for spinning satellites; momentum biased 3-axis control system for APPLE; zero momentum biased 3-axis control system for IRS-V, and configuration momentum biased 'altitude control system' for highly stabilized INSAT-2. He developed very agile control system with step and stare capability to spot imaging mission TES and guided the evolution of re-entry capability for SRE mission. He has contributed significantly to the development of magnetic altitude control system, mission planning for remote sensing, communication and scientific missions. He has published over 100 research papers in refereed journals.

Others Contributions: Goel moved to Delhi as Secretary, Department of Ocean Development, and transformed it into Ministry of Earth Sciences by integrating ocean, atmosphere and geoscience and technologies. He was the first Chairman of Earth Commission.

Awards and Honours: Dr Goel was awarded Padma Shri (2001). He also received the life time Achievement Award of the Aeronautical Society of India and Distinguished Scientist Award of ISRO. He is a Fellow of Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore; National Academy of Sciences (India), Allahabad; Institution of Electronic & Telecommunication Engineers, New Delhi; Aeronautical Society of India, Bangalore; and Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS). He is an Honorary Fellow of Electrochemical Society of India, Bangalore and Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai. He is also a Member of the International Academy of Astronautics, Paris. Currently, Dr Goel is the President of Indian National Academy of Engineering.