Avinash Chander (DRDO)


Avinash Chander is an Indian scientist who was Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister, the Director General of Defence Research and Development Organisation, and Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development. He had succeeded V. K. Saraswat to this post.
He is the chief architect of the Agni series of ballistic missile systems. Chander is a recipient of the Padma Shri from the Government of India

Education

Chander joined DRDO after completing his training in Electrical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. He subsequently pursued an MS in Spatial Information Technology and Doctorate from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad.

Leaving DRDO

After completion of 42 years of Distinguished Service in DRDO, On 14 January 2015 the Department of Personnel and Training advised his contract as Chief of DRDO was to finish on 31 January 2015.

Awards

Chander is recipient of numerous awards, some of which are listed below:
  1. IIT Delhi Alumni Award
  2. Padma Shri
  3. DRDO Scientist of the year, 1989
  4. Astronautical Society of India Award, 1997
  5. Awarded by Dr. R. Chidambaram, Principal Scientific Advisor to Govt. of India.
  6. AGNI Self-Reliance Award, 1999
  7. Dr. Biren Roy Space Science Award, 2000
  8. DRDO Award, 2007
  9. Outstanding Technologist Award, 2008
  10. DRDO Technology Leadership Award, 2008
  11. Fellow, Indian National Academy of Engineers
  12. Fellow, System Society of India
  13. Fellow, Andhra Pradesh Academy of Sciences
  14. Vice-President, Astronautical Society of India
  15. Chairman – Sensors Research Society, India
  16. Aryabhata Award - Astronautical Society of India.
  17. Eminent Engineer Award, The Institute of Engineers 2016.