In 2018 who took over as the new Chairperson of the Indian Space Research Organisation ISRO?

Introduction / Context:
Leadership positions in key scientific organisations often feature in competitive exam questions. The Indian Space Research Organisation ISRO is the national space agency of India and its Chairperson plays a central role in guiding missions and programmes. In 2018 a new Chairperson took charge and this change was widely reported in current affairs.

Given Data / Assumptions:
The question gives these main points.

• We are asked about the year 2018.
• The organisation is ISRO.
• We must identify the person who became the new Chairperson at that time.
• Options include K. Sivan, S. Manish Arya, A. S. Kiran Kumar and Bibeth Roy.

Concept / Approach:
A. S. Kiran Kumar served as ISRO Chairman before 2018. In January 2018 Dr K. Sivan, previously known for his work on launch vehicle design, was appointed as the new Chairperson. The other names in the options are not associated with holding the top post at ISRO. The approach is to match the correct year of transition with the correct scientist.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that A. S. Kiran Kumar term as ISRO Chairman ended around early 2018. Step 2: Remember seeing news reports that Dr K. Sivan, then Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, was appointed as the next Chairman. Step 3: Identify that Dr K. Sivan took over formally in January 2018. Step 4: Compare this information with the options and see that only K. Sivan matches this description. Step 5: Recognise that S. Manish Arya and Bibeth Roy are not known ISRO chiefs and that A. S. Kiran Kumar refers to the outgoing Chairman.

Verification / Alternative check:
Official press releases from the Department of Space and the Government of India for January 2018 mention the appointment of Dr K. Sivan as Chairman ISRO and Secretary Department of Space. Newspapers and magazines covering Indian science and technology also profile him as taking over the role at that time. These sources do not attribute the 2018 appointment to any of the other names in the options, confirming that K. Sivan is correct.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option C A. S. Kiran Kumar was indeed an ISRO Chairman but he held the position prior to 2018 and was being succeeded in that year. Option B S. Manish Arya and Option D Bibeth Roy are not names associated with the ISRO Chairperson post in mainstream records. Therefore these alternatives do not match the specific event of a new Chairperson taking charge in 2018.

Common Pitfalls:
One common mistake is to mark A. S. Kiran Kumar simply because his name is strongly associated with ISRO leadership without paying attention to the year of change. Another pitfall is to be confused by unfamiliar names and guess randomly instead of relying on remembered news. To avoid such issues, students should revise a timeline of ISRO Chairpersons and connect each name with an approximate tenure period.

Final Answer:
The new Chairperson of ISRO in 2018 was K. Sivan.