our directors
Joseph Thomas - Director
Born in a small village in Kerala without electricity, Joseph Thomas rose to become one of India’s most distinguished aviators. By age 29, he was a veteran of multiple conflicts, an accomplished pilot with over 4,000 flying hours, and a qualified aeronautical engineer.
He was the first Indian selected to train at the elite USAF Aerospace Research Pilots School in California, under the mentorship of Apollo 11’s Colonel Buzz Aldrin. Upon returning, he founded the Indian Air Force Test Pilots School (IAF TPS), shaping it into a premier institution that has trained over 500 test pilots and engineers.
Known for his practical problem-solving and visionary leadership, Joseph Thomas now brings his deep expertise to Nubra Education and Research Pvt. Ltd. as co-promoter and director, continuing his lifelong passion for innovation and learning.
Deepak Narayanan - Director
Deepak Narayanan is a decorated veteran of the Indian Air Force with over three decades of aviation experience. Inspired by a childhood dream and a love for flying, he joined the National Defence Academy in 1990 and went on to become a fighter pilot, flying frontline aircraft like the MiG-21 and Mirage 2000.
Throughout his distinguished career, he served in key roles during the Kargil War and Operation Parakram, commanded a Mirage 2000 squadron, commanded the prestigious Test Pilots School and was Chief Test Pilot at the National Flight Test Centre. As a qualified experimental test pilot, he played a pivotal role in the development and testing of the LCA Tejas and contributed to future aircraft programs like AMCA and Tejas Mark 2.
With over 3,300 flying hours on more than 20 different aircraft types, Deepak retired in August 2023. His passion for aviation continues through new ventures that aim to inspire, educate, and connect future generations to the world of flight.
Sriram Jayasimha- Director
Sriram Jayasimha founded Hyderabad-based Signion in 1987, building a 38-year legacy of Intellectual Property creation and product design for global telecommunications markets. Prior to that, he served as a member of the technical staff at GTE Government Systems Corporation in Needham, MA, from 1981 to 1987. Over the years, he has also consulted for Compusonics Corporation, Bharat Electronics Limited (Central Research Laboratory), and Aware Inc., Cambridge, MA.
Since retiring from Signion in 2019, he now serves as Chief Scientist and Director at AST SpaceMobile, a pioneering venture aiming to deliver global mobile phone connectivity via a constellation of large-aperture satellites. A former Fellow of the Center for Advanced Engineering Study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sriram holds a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from IIT Madras and an M.S. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY.
Casper Abraham - Director Designate
With an illustrious academic career, Casper Abraham has worked his way up from the ground, leading from the front in most things that he has undertaken. With 40+ years experience, and at the quintessential age of 65, he has the 'Intellectual Fire power' and 'Emotional Balance' to take on several of the most arduous of business assignments."