A young engineer from Belagavi has become part of a landmark moment in India’s space journey. Sourabh Magadum, an alumnus of KLS Gogte Institute of Technology (GIT), Belagavi, played a key role in Skyroot Aerospace’s historic Vikram-1 mission under Mission Aagaman, which became India’s first privately developed rocket to successfully reach orbit.
A 2021 graduate in Electronics & Communication Engineering, Sourabh served as the Lead of the Ground Instrumentation & Control (GIC) team in Skyroot Aerospace’s Avionics Department. His team was responsible for the systems that monitored the launch vehicle throughout its development and launch, including sensors, data acquisition systems and the control room interfaces used during testing, rehearsals and the final countdown.
Sharing his experience on LinkedIn, Sourabh revealed that before Vikram-1 lifted off on July 18, members of the team signed a commemorative card that flew aboard the rocket. “Our names are now circling the planet,” he wrote.
Reflecting on the mission, he described the moment when telemetry confirmed orbital insertion as the culmination of years of effort. “Years of work compressed into a single moment — first silence, then the loudest cheer I’ve ever heard,” he said.
Sourabh also expressed his gratitude to his Ground Instrumentation & Control team and colleagues at Skyroot Aerospace who contributed to the success of Mission Aagaman. He noted that the name “Aagaman”, meaning arrival, aptly symbolises the beginning of India’s private space era.
His achievement highlights the growing contribution of engineers from Belagavi to India’s expanding aerospace and space technology sector, inspiring aspiring engineers across the region.