Dr OOMMEN THARAKAN KUTTIYIL THOMAS

OOMMEN THARAKAN KUTTIYIL THOMAS
Dr; OOMMEN THARAKAN KUTTIYIL THOMAS
Born	1963-05-30
🏳️ Nationality	INDIAN
Other names	Sabu
🏫 Education	Ph.D, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, 2006
💼 Occupation	Dean (R&D) and Professor
👔 Employer	President
🏢 Organisation	Mar Baselios Christian College of Engineering and Technology, Idukki, Kerala, India 685531
Title	Rocket Man of Idukki
👩 Spouse(s)	Preetha Susan Varghese, married (1992–present)
👶 Children	2
Family	KUTTIYIL

Early Life and Background

Oommen Tharakan Kuttiyil Thomas was born on 30 May 1963 in Kerala, India. Raised in a region known for its high emphasis on literacy and technical education, he demonstrated an early aptitude for the physical sciences and mathematics.

His formative years coincided with the rapid expansion of India's indigenous space program, which influenced his pursuit of advanced engineering. He completed his primary and secondary education with distinction in Kerala before qualifying for admission into the state's premier engineering institution, the College of Engineering Trivandrum (CET). This early academic success laid the groundwork for his subsequent specialized research at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and IIT Bombay.

Currently, while serving in the high-altitude region of Idukki, Dr. Tharakan maintains strong family ties to his home in Trivandrum, where he returns regularly to balance his academic leadership roles with his personal life.

Educational Career

Dr. Oommen Tharakan's academic trajectory is defined by a commitment to specialized engineering at India's most prestigious institutions:

Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) in Electronics and Communication Engineering: College of Engineering Trivandrum (CET).
Master of Engineering (M.E.) in Electronics Design and Technology: Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore. His research at IISc focused on high-reliability electronic systems and VLSI devices.
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Microelectronics and VLSI Design: Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB). His doctoral research provided the theoretical and practical foundation for his later work in "Zero-Defect" engineering and aerospace-grade micro-components.

Professional Career at ISRO

Dr. Tharakan joined the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 1985. Over nearly four decades, he played a vital role in India's space missions, eventually serving as Senior Scientist (Scientist 'H') and Group Director of the Avionics Entity.

Indigenization: Led the strategic effort to design and manufacture indigenous electronic components, significantly reducing dependence on foreign imports for launch vehicles like PSLV and GSLV.
Quality Assurance: Established the "Zero-Defect" culture within ISRO's production lines, ensuring that every electronic package met the 100% reliability standards required for spaceflight.

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Technical Leadership: Oversaw the fabrication and testing of complex avionics systems, contributing to the success of dozens of national satellite launches.

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Academic Leadership at MBCET

In 2024, Dr. Tharakan transitioned to academia, joining the Mar Baselios Christian College of Engineering and Technology (MBCET) in Peermade, Idukki. As the Dean of Research and Development (R&D) and Head of the Electronics and Communication Department, he has focused on "Democratizing Technology" for rural students.

BASILIAN-01: Mentored a multidisciplinary student team in the design and launch of the college's first technology demonstrator rocket on 18 December 2025.

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BEEMARK-I & II: Spearheaded the development of an IoT-based smart beehive monitoring system to assist local farmers in the Idukki region with precision apiculture.
Modular Wind Energy: Currently leading R&D efforts to create modular wind energy harvesting systems tailored for rural schools and homes in high-altitude terrains.

International Engagements

Throughout his career at ISRO and his subsequent academic tenure, Dr. Tharakan has traveled extensively to present research, participate in high-level technical reviews, and collaborate on international engineering standards. His global professional visits include:

Europe: Participation in technical symposiums and quality assurance reviews in countries including Germany, France, and Switzerland, focusing on aerospace manufacturing standards.
Asia-Pacific: Engagement with regional space research forums and technology exhibitions to promote Indian indigenization efforts.
North America: Collaboration with international bodies on microelectronics and surface mount technology (SMT) reliability.

These visits have informed his "Global Standard, Local Action" philosophy, bringing world-class engineering protocols to the students of rural Kerala.

Personal life

Dr. Oommen Tharakan Kuttiyil Thomas (Dr. O.T. Thomas) was born into the distinguished Kuttiyil family of Thevalakkara, Kollam, Kerala.

Family

Dr. Thomas was married to Preetha Susan Varghese, who was a Teacher. Together, they had two children:

Thomas: an engineer based in the US.
Varghese: a medical doctor.

Faith and Community

A devout member of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, Dr. Thomas was known for his philanthropic efforts within the community. He was actively involved in:

Support for local educational institutions in Kerala.
Providing educational aid to underprivileged sections of society through Mar Baselios Christian College of Engineering and Technology, Idukki.

Interests

Outside of his professional career in Engineering, he was an avid reader of classical literature and was known for his interest in organic farming.

References

↑ Thomas, Oommen Tharakan Kuttiyil; Gopalan, Padma Padmanabhan (2022). Electronics Production Defects and Analysis. Springer Nature Singapore. ISBN 978-981-16-9823-1. Search this book on
↑ "ORCID Profile: Prof. Dr. Oommen Tharakan Kuttiyil Thomas". ORCID. Retrieved March 2026. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
↑ "From Space Missions to Shaping Minds: The Journey of Dr. Oommen Tharakan". Global TV. January 2026. Retrieved March 2026. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)