Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday to convey his condolences regarding the passing of the renowned scientist and former Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chief V S Arunachalam. Modi said that Arunachalam’s passing has created “major void in the scientific community.”
“Dr. V.S. Arunachalam’s passing away leaves a major void in the scientific community and the strategic world. He was greatly admired for his knowledge, passion for research, and rich contribution towards strengthening India’s security capabilities. Condolences to his family and well-wishers. Om Shanti,” Modi wrote.
The family of Arunachalam, 87, issued a statement on Wednesday announcing his passing in the United States. The statement said, “With great sadness and a sense of immense loss, we would like to convey the demise of Dr V S Arunachalam. He passed away peacefully in his sleep surrounded by close family in California.”
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also offered his condolences, reflecting on his time working alongside Arunachalam. “Deeply grieved to learn of the passing away of Dr. V S Arunachalam, former Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri. He was a mentor to so many on defense, technology, and nuclear matters,” Jaishankar wrote on X.
He further added, “Had the privilege of working closely with him, especially on the India-US relationship. Our trip across the United States in 1986 is among the memories that I treasure.”
Arunachalam’s illustrious career spanned across the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), National Aeronautical Laboratory, and Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory.
His tenure as DRDO chief
V S Arunachalam, a material scientist achieved the distinction of becoming the first DRDO scientist to lead the organisation and hold the position of Scientific Adviser for a decade from 1982 to 1992.
During his tenure, he initiated three significant programs: Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) through the autonomous Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA); the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) Program; and the Integrated Guided Missiles Development Programme (IGMDP), aimed at creating a range of strategic and tactical guided missiles.
Under the IGMDP, a creative management structure was established, which facilitated effective project approval and meticulous progress tracking. This approach was later embraced across the DRDO.
Awards
Arunachalam received the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in 1980, followed by the Padma Bhushan in 1985, and the Padma Vibhushan in 1990 for his valuable contributions to the fields of engineering, science, and technology. He was honored with the DRDO’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.
(With PTI inputs)
