R N Agarwal, considered the father of India’s long-range Agni missiles, passed away today in Hyderabad. He was 84 and is survived by wife and two children.
AgniWall, as he was popularly known, Ram Narain Agarwal led the ambitious Agni programme right from its inception in 1983.
He led the first successful launch of the Agni on May 22, 1989. Thereafter, he piloted the development of various versions of the InterContinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM).
Today, the Agni V has a range of over 5000 km and India is among the top nations in missile technology.
A P J Abdul Kalam, former President and India’s ‘Missile Man’ was the Chief of the IGMDP (Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme), under which the Agni missile was the crown jewel.
The IGMDP developed 5 missiles–Agni, Prithvi, Akash, Nag and Trishul. Dr V S Arunachalam, chief of the DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) then strongly supported the IGMDP.
Dr Agarwal, a Padma Bhushan awardee was the founder-director of the ASL (Advanced Systems Laboratory), Hyderabad. He retired after a distinguished career in 2005.
Born in Jaipur into a traders’ family, Agarwal did Aeronautical Engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology (MIT), Guindy and a doctorate from the Indian Institute of Sciences Bangalore.
Dr Agarwal came to Hyderabad in the early 1960s to join the DRDL (Defence Research and Development Laboratory). The short-statured, sharp and temperamental leader was respected for his vision, commitment and delivery of targets.
The Agni programme has spurred a large industry base and technological capabilities that are held in awe globally.
Dr Agarwal and his team with the strong support of Arunachalam, Kalam, PMs and defence ministers of India placed India in the exclusive club of nations with ICBM capabilities. This was achieved despite technology restrictions and sanctions.
The Agni Programme was steered by Dr V K Saraswat, Dr Avinash Chander and Dr Satish Reddy, all missile scientists and Chiefs of DRDO in the last two decades.
| 
