Hyderabad played a key role in Agni-V launch

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Hyderabad played a crucial role in the development of the Agni long-range missile system, with a majority of the components conceived, designed and manufactured in the city.

Scores of scientists from various laboratories of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Hyderabad, as also those from local companies involved in the manufacture of defence components worked tirelessly for over five years to strengthen the country’s defence capabilities in the form of Agni-5.

Agni- 5, a new generation missile, has put India in the elite club of nations possessing intercontinental ballistic missiles and the credit goes to scientists and engineers from Andhra Pradesh and those who have made the State their second home.

Four of the six important institutions, that played a key role in the research and development of Agni-
5, are located in Hyderabad.

The Advanced Systems Laboratory, Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Defence Electronics Research Laboratory (DLRL) and the Research Centre Imarat among other scientific institutions made India’s first 5000 km-plus range missile a reality.

As Dr V.K. Saraswat, chief of DRDO, pointed out,80 per cent of the components of the Agni-5 have been made in the country.

Many local scientists, machinists and engineers are involved in the manufacture of the missile. Dr Saraswat, for instance, hails from UP, but has obtained his crucial doctorate in propulsion engineering from Osmania University.

Agni Project director, Tessy Thomas is from Kerala, but Hyderabad is her second home.

Gundra Satheesh Reddy, of Research Centre Imarat, and his team developed crucial components that include Ring-laser gyro-based Inertial Navigation System(RINS), Micro-Navigation System (MINGS) and onboard avionics.

Last year Satheesh Reddy won the DRDO Scientist of the Year award from the Defence Ministry for his contribution to the Agni and other missiles. Tessy Thomas was instrumental in developing a major technology related to re-entry vehicle system.