Renowned artist and former ISRO scientist Soorya Krishnamoorthy passes away at 78

Life and Career

Soorya Krishnamoorthy died in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, September 23, at the age of 78. Born Nataraja Krishnamoorthy, he worked as a scientist at the Indian Space Research Organisation for over 20 years. During his time at ISRO, he worked alongside leaders like former Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam and scientists PN Subramaniam and CR Sathya. He left ISRO through voluntary retirement after 27 years to dedicate his life to promoting art and culture for the common man. Inspired by the Chitralekha Film Society started by Adoor Gopalakrishnan, he founded the Soorya Stage and Film Society as a non-profit group in Thiruvananthapuram four decades ago.

Cultural Impact

The Soorya Stage and Film Society grew into a massive movement and expanded its chapters to 22 countries across Asia, Europe, and the Gulf region. The organisation is famous for hosting the Soorya Festival, a widely known annual arts and cultural event. Krishnamoorthy served three terms as the director of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation and also worked as the chairman of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi. He won the National Award for Stage Craft and Direction in 1996 and wrote the screenplay for the 2011 courtroom drama film Melvilasom directed by Madhav Ramadasan.