As founding chairperson of IN-SPACe, Pawan Goenka is helping to architect the bridge between the legacy of the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and India’s growing private space ecosystem. In an interview with Forbes India, he reflects on why coming in as an “outsider” was his biggest strength, how the government works behind the scenes and why tolerance for failure is essential for building a global space power. Edited excerpts:

Q. It’s quite a shift from leading Mahindra to building a new space governance institution. When you made that move, did you know what you wanted to accomplish?

My answer might surprise you. When I was asked to take on this position, I had no clue about the space sector other than what you read as an interested layperson. Post my retirement, I had been doing some work with Minister Piyush Goyal on an MSME (Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises) committee, so I had some exposure to government. Earlier, in my automotive days, through SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers) and similar bodies, I had a lot of engagement with the government. So that’s how, perhaps, the government knew of me.

Q. What convinced you to take up the offer?

The offer came out of the blue, and I debated whether I should accept it. Then I was told that my biggest strength was precisely that I knew nothing about the space sector—but I did know about technology. I knew how to grow a business, what makes a company succeed, and of course, I understood R&D (research and development). They said they wanted someone who was not biased by the legacy of space, but who understood what needed to be done to make the private sector succeed in space. That’s how I came in.

Q. How did you onboard yourself into the ecosystem?

I did it simply by visiting all the Isro locations, talking to people there. I read about space technology, went into the history of what had happened in India, and, at the age of 67, I became a basic student again.

Q. As you immersed yourself in this new world, what stood out to you the most about India’s space capabilities and institutions?

What surprised me was how deep Isro is in terms of technology and infrastructure. People at Isro understand space technology very well, and they are able to work with limited resources, because Isro’s budget is about Rs13,000 crore—around $1.5 billion—compared with the multiple tens of billions that agencies like NASA have. Yet Isro delivers a great deal.

The second surprise is how hard people in government work. The norm is people starting at 8 am and working till 10 pm, seven days a week. The term ‘work-life balance’, which is so popular in the corporate sector, is unheard of in government.

The third surprise was the process........

© Forbes India