Dr. Ram Narain Agarwal, India’s Missile Scientist, Passes Away at 83
Hyderabad (Telengana) [India], August 15: Dr. Ram Narain Agarwal, a Padma Bhushan awardee and an outstanding aerospace scientist, passed away today at the age of 83 after a brief illness. He is survived by his wife and two children.
Leader of Agni Missile Program
Dr. Agarwal was instrumental in the development of India’s long-range missile, Agni. He led the Agni missile program for over two decades, starting in 1983 as Project Director. Under his leadership, the team successfully tested the Technology demonstrator missile in May 1989, and various versions of the missile were developed and inducted into the defense forces. Today, Agni V, a nuclear-capable, intermediate-range ballistic missile, can strike targets beyond 5000 km.
Distinguished Career
Dr. Agarwal retired as the founder and director of the Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL), Hyderabad, in 2005. He was a distinguished scientist at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and worked alongside Dr. Arunachalam and Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. He played a key role in establishing re-entry technology, all composite heat shields, onboard propulsion systems, and guidance and control for missiles during his 22-year tenure.
Achievements and Honors
In 1995, Dr. Agarwal was appointed Programme Director of Agni for weaponization and deployment of Agni 2. By 1999, he and his team had established a new version with road-mobile launch capability and enhanced strike distance. The Agni-3 missile system demonstrated India’s capability in developing long-range, nuclear-capable missiles.
Dr. Agarwal received numerous awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award 2004, the DRDO Technology Leadership Award, the Chandrasekhara Saraswati National Eminence Award, and the Biren Roy Space Sciences Award. He was conferred the Padma Shri in 1990 and the Padma Bhushan in 2000 by the President of India.
Early Life and Education
Born in Jaipur on July 24, 1941, Dr. Agarwal completed his Aeronautical Engineering from MIT, Guindy, and his Masters from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. He obtained a doctorate from the University of Rajasthan. He was a member of various national academies and delivered lectures on self-reliance and missile technology. He was a fellow of the Aeronautical Society of India and the National Academy of Engineering.
Doubts Revealed
Dr. Ram Narain Agarwal -: Dr. Ram Narain Agarwal was a famous scientist from India who worked on making missiles, which are powerful weapons that can be launched to hit targets far away.
Missile Scientist -: A missile scientist is someone who studies and creates missiles, which are special weapons that can fly through the air to hit targets.
Padma Bhushan -: The Padma Bhushan is one of India’s highest civilian awards given to people who have done really great work in their field.
Agni missile program -: The Agni missile program is a project in India to develop powerful missiles that can travel long distances and are used for defense.
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam -: Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam was a very famous Indian scientist who also became the President of India. He is known as the ‘Missile Man of India’ for his work on missile technology.
Padma Shri -: The Padma Shri is another important award in India given to people who have done excellent work in their field.
Jaipur -: Jaipur is a city in India, known for its beautiful palaces and rich history. It is the capital of the state of Rajasthan.
Aerospace engineering -: Aerospace engineering is a field of study where people learn how to design and build things that can fly, like airplanes and rockets.
Missile technology -: Missile technology involves the science and engineering needed to create missiles, which are weapons that can be launched to hit targets far away.
