Late. Dr S K Shivakumar was the Director of URSC from July 2012 to March 2015. Dr. Shivakumar lead a team of more than 2500 engineers and scientists in the design, development and realization of state-of-the-art satellite missions including Mars Orbiter Mission, the first interplanetary mission and navigation satellite programme. He was the Associate Director of the centre from November, 2010 to June, 2012.

From September 1998 to November 2010, Dr Shivakumar was Director,ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), which maintains a large constellation of Indian Remote Sensing Satellites in orbit and provides support to satellite launch vehicle missions with a world-wide network of ground stations.

Dr Shivakumar was also the Project Director for realizing the 32m antenna of the Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) at Byalalu, near Bangalore. The ISDN is being used to track the Mars Orbiter Mission and was used for communicating with Chandrayaan-1, India's first mission to the Moon.

Before joining ISTRAC, Dr Shivakumar served at URSC for two decades (1978-1998) during which he made immense contribution to the mission planning, analysis and operations of several Indian satellite missions including Bhaskara, APPLE, IRS and INSAT.

Dr Shivakumar had a distinguished academic career and obtained Bachelor's Degree in Science from Mysore University, BE in Electrical Communications Engineering as well as MTech in Physical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.He obtained his doctorate degree in the field of Electronics from Kuvempu University in 2014.

Dr Shivakumar has represented ISRO in several national and international committees, advisory groups and conferences, including United Nations Committee on Peaceful Use of Outer Space, Vienna, Inter-Operability Plenary and Inter-agency Operations Advisory Group.

He is the recipient of many awards for his outstanding contributions in the field of science and technology which includes

• Padmashri by Government of India in 2015,
• Indian National Remote Sensing Award by Indian Society of Remote Sensing,
• Award for excellence in Space systems management by Astronautical Society of India.
• ISRO Merit Award for his outstanding contributions in Ground Systems establishment.
• Team Achievement Award by International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), for his significant role in the Tracking, Telemetry and Command Support for PSLV-C7/Cartosat-2/Space Capsule Recovery Experiment mission of India.
• 'Karnataka Rajyotsava Award 2008' in the area of Science & Technology
• 'Hamsa Ratna' Award from Hamsojyothi, for achievement in the field of Science and Technology during 2012.
• 'National Aeronautical Prize-2008' from Aeronautical Society of India for his outstanding Contribution for Chandrayaan-1 mission.
• He is also an elected academician of the International Academy of Astronautics.
• Team Excellence Award for successful implementation of Satellite based Telemedicine programme.
• Honorary Doctorate (D.Sc) by University of Mysore
• 'NADOJA' Award by Kannada Vishvavidyalaya, Hampi in 2013.