BENGALURU: Indian Scientist and Former Director General of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Dr Vallampadugai Srinivasa Raghavan Arunachalam passed away in California on Wednesday. He is survived by his wife Meena, children Raghu, Malavika, and Ramu, and six grandchildren.
Dr Arunachalam was 87-years-old and was undergoing treatment for acute pneumonia and Parkinson’s disease. He was the founder and chairman of CSTEP - Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy, a not-for-profit think-tank, with a mission to enrich policy-making with innovative approaches using science and technology for a sustainable, secure, and inclusive society in Bengaluru.
His career spanned across Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, National Aeronautical Laboratory and Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory. He even served as the scientific advisor to the union defence minister from 1982 to 1992. He became the first Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientist to head the DRDO and also to assume the office of the Scientific Adviser. He served as the adviser to the Ministry of Defence from 1982 to 1992
In addition to being the first Indian Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (UK), he was also a distinguished service professor (Engineering and Public Policy) at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh. He was conferred with the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibushan for his contributions to engineering science and technology.
In 2015, he was awarded DRDO’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution to the field of scientific research and technology. It was under his guidance that the Light Combat Aircraft program (TEJAS) and the Integrated Guided Missile Program amongst others were initiated. Throughout his life he championed the notion of “Atma Nirbhar Bharat”.