On the day of the Aditya L1 solar mission’s launch in India, ISRO chairman S Somanath disclosed that he received a cancer diagnosis; however, he declared himself “completely healthy now”.
S Somanath claimed in an interview with Tarmak Media House that he underwent chemotherapy after receiving an operation to remove the growth in his stomach and that he was now fully recovered from the illness.

“I am fully well now,” he declared.

He claimed he was not entirely clear when he realized there were some health concerns during the Chandrayaan-3 mission launch last year.

He learned about his condition during a scan on the day of the Aditya L-1 launch.

“I had additional testing done in Chennai following the launch, which confirmed that I had a cancerous growth in my large intestine. I had surgery and chemotherapy after learning of this diagnosis,” the space veteran stated.

When asked how his family members responded to the diagnosis, he said, “They were shocked, without a doubt. However, I now believe there is a cure for cancer and its treatment”. He sought advice from family members who had overcome similar challenges, which helped alleviate his concerns.
Noting the nature of his fight with cancer, he said, “I was uncertain about complete cure at the time I was undergoing the process.”

Somanath declared that although he would still need routine scans and check-ups, he was fully recovered and back to work.

He claimed that he returned to work following a four-day stay in the hospital for surgery.