Hyderabad, March 21 -- Former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman Sreedhara Panicker Somanath has been appointed as an advisor on space technology to the Andhra Pradesh government, along with four other experts, media reports said.

The state issued appointment orders on Wednesday, granting them cabinet minister status for two years, Hindustan Times reported.

Somanath, currently a professor at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, will serve for two years or until the role is deemed unnecessary.

Reddy, formerly a scientific advisor to the defence minister, will guide the state on aerospace and defence manufacturing.

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