Mumbai, March 4: On the historic day when India's Aditya-L1 mission flew into space, S Somnath, the chief of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), received a cancer diagnosis. In an interview with Tarmak Media House, Somnath stated that one of the scans revealed a growth of cancer. "During the launch of the Chandrayaan-3 expedition, there were some health difficulties. But at the moment, I wasn't sure I understood it clearly," Somnath remarked.

He went on to say that he received his diagnosis the day the Aditya-L1 mission was launched. He was shocked to learn the prognosis, as were his family and coworkers who had supported him during this difficult time. 'Thank You for Making India Proud': ISRO Chief S Somnath Receives Heartwarming Welcome on IndiGo Flight After Success of Chandrayaan 3 Mission.

As Aditya L1, India's first space-based solar observatory, set off to study the Sun on September 2, 2023, S Somnath had a regular scan that revealed a tumour in his stomach. He travelled to Chennai for more scans after making this surprising finding, which confirmed the existence of a genetic illness.

After a few days, it was determined that he had a serious health issue in addition to his work obligations. Somnath had surgery and treatment afterwards. ‘We Can Build Space Station’: ISRO Chief S Somnath During TechFest at IIT Bombay (Watch Video).

The family was taken aback by it. But as of right now, I see cancer and its management as a solution, the latter said. He highlighted that his fight with cancer is still ongoing and that he was not sure if there would be a full recovery at the moment. But he's recovered in a way that is nothing short of miraculous. He was back at work at ISRO on the fifth day without pain, having only been hospitalised for four days.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 04, 2024 03:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).