The publication of S Somanath's unpublished memoirs, "Nilavu Kudicha Simhangal" (Lions that drank the moonlight), has been postponed by the chairman of Isro after certain passages in the book sparked controversy. According to reports, the book in Malayalam mentioned that K Sivan, the former head of Isro, tried to prevent Somanath from being appointed to the agency's top job.
Somanath clarified that he never wrote that someone tried to thwart his chances. “I think the publishers (in Kozhikode) have given some copies to somebody… In view of the controversy, I’ve told the publishers to hold the book’s release, which was due next week… It should not have any content that can be misrepresented because the purpose was not to create controversy. I will make a decision later about whether or not to release it at all,” he told the media. Sivan responded to the controversy by stating, “There is nothing for me to say.” But people close to him noted several inaccuracies in the reported book excerpts, including the timeline of Somanath’s appointment as the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) director.
The scandal started when a Keralan news story claimed that Somanath described how he felt ignored by Isro before being promoted to the top position.