Shantanu Bhatawdekar post graduated in Physics from Jiwaji University, Gwalior in 1985 and joined ISRO in April 1986. He has more than 30 years of experience in the areas of Remote Sensing, Digital Image Processing, Geographical Information System  and Decision Support Systems (DSS).

He has worked in various capacities as Project Director, Deputy Project Director, Project Coordinator & Team Leader in conceputalising and designing software packages, information systems and Decision Support tools. A few major ones include - Crop acerage & production estimation, Information System for Natural Resources Management, Decision Support System for Fertilizer Demand Estimation & Management, Web based DSS for Radiological emergencies, DSS for Locust impact minimization for Government of Kazaksthan, Disaster Management Support, whichhave been widely acclaimed. He has significantly contributed in many RS & GIS application missions and building of Geospatial database at National and State level.

He is primary responsible for coordinating activities across ISRO Centres in the area of Earth Observation Satellites and its applications. He is also steering inter-ministerial interactions for promoting space technology applications for governance and development acros Central Ministries and State Governments in India.

He has represented ISRO in various international forums and meets - at Space Research Institute, Kazakhstan; UN-ESCAP in Indonesia & Thailand; ASEAN Sub-Committee On Space Applications in Phillipines and Veitnam.