Who is Amit Kshatriya? Indian origin robotics engineer appointed to NASA's top civil service role

Indian-origin robotics engineer Amit Kshatriya was recently named as the new associate administrator of NASA. Born in Wisconsin and brought up in Katy, Texas, the 20-year NASA veteran was promoted to the agency’s top civil service role after serving as the first head of NASA's Moon to Mars Programme.

NASA in a press release dated September 3 stated, “Acting NASA Administrator Sean P. Duffy Wednesday named Amit Kshatriya as the new associate administrator of NASA, the agency’s top civil service role.”

Previously, he played an instrumental role in the Artemis campaign as he was in charge of program planning and execution for crewed missions to the Moon. Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD) at NASA served as the foundation for humanity's first mission to Mars. In his new role, Kshatriya will be responsible for the space agency's bold vision to return to the Moon during US President Donald Trump’s term.

Son of first-generation Indian immigrants to the US, Amit Kshatriya began working with the space agency in 2003. Initially, he worked as a software engineer, robotics engineer, and spacecraft operator primarily focused on the robotic assembly of the International Space Station (ISS).

“Amit has spent more than two decades as a dedicated public servant at NASA, working to advance American leadership in space. Under his leadership, the agency will chart a bold vision to return to the Moon during President Trump’s term,” NASA quoted NASA Administrator Sean P Duffy as saying.

He added, “Amit’s knowledge, integrity, and unwavering commitment to pioneering a new era of exploration make him uniquely qualified to lead our agency as associate administrator. With Amit we’ll continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible.”