On the evening of May 8, 2025, as news channels carried updates on intercepted Pakistani drones and missiles during Operation Sindoora man watched silently from home.For most Indians, it was a moment of tranquility.For Dr. Prahlada Ramarao, it was deeply personal.The retired DRDO the scientist was not only watching India’s air defense system in action, he was watching the outcome of a mission that had defined 15 years of his life.“This is the happiest day of my life,” he said later.More than four decades earlier, a young scientist named Dr APJ Abdul Kalam he had entrusted him with one of the most challenging defense projects India had ever attempted. At the time, few outside the scientific community knew his name. Today, the technology he helped build has become one of India’s most important shields.
When Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam asked a young scientist to build the impossible
The story goes back to 1983.India had just launched the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP), an ambitious initiative aimed at designing indigenous missile systems instead of relying on foreign technology.Among the five missile projects planned under the program was Akash, a surface-to-air missile system designed to intercept enemy aircraft and aerial threats.It was one of the most difficult projects in the program.Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, who led the mission, entrusted the responsibility to a relatively young scientist: Prahlada Ramarao.The task was daunting.“I was young and afraid to take on such a big responsibility,” Prahlada would later recall.Kalam’s answer was characteristically simple.do it
Fifteen years, 1,000 scientists and an indigenous defense system
Building Akash wasn’t just about designing a missile.It meant creating an entire ecosystem of advanced defense technologies that India had never built before.Prahlada coordinated nearly 1,000 scientists working in 12 DRDO laboratories, tackling challenges ranging from propulsion and avionics to radar systems and electronic warfare.One of the most important advances was the Rajendra Radar, a sophisticated phased array radar capable of tracking multiple airborne threats simultaneously, even in environments where enemy aircraft attempted to jam or confuse the radar signals.Together, the Akash missile and the Rajendra radar form an integrated air defense system capable of detecting, tracking and engaging multiple air targets simultaneously.Perhaps even more notable was its cost.According to DRDO, the indigenous system was developed at a fraction of the cost of comparable foreign air defense systems while offering capabilities tailored to India’s operational requirements.Years later, the system would also find international buyers, with countries such as Armenia placing export orders.For his contributions to India’s defense capabilities, Dr. Prahlada Ramarao was awarded the Padma Shri in 2015.However, outside of defense circles, he remained largely unknown.
The day his life’s work went to war
Scientists rarely get to witness the real impact of technologies that have been decades in the making.Prahlada did it.During Operation Sindoor in May 2025, India’s layered air defense network was deployed to counter incoming air threats.Seeing reports of successful interceptions, the veteran scientist saw something far greater than a successful military operation.He saw years of failures, experiments, calculations and perseverance finally pay off.The missile system he had started building in his thirties had become part of India’s defense shield more than four decades later.His emotional reaction reminded many people that behind every great technological achievement are thousands of engineers and scientists whose names rarely make the headlines.
A lesson for students: Great inventions take time
The journey of Dr. Prahlada Ramarao is also a lesson in what engineering really means.After graduating in mechanical engineering from Visvesvaraya College of Engineering, earning a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), and completing his Ph.D., he dedicated his career to solving problems that had no ready answers.His work extended well beyond Akash, contributing to programs involving Prithvi, Agni, Nag, Astra, BrahMos and several advanced aerospace technologies developed in India.However, its greatest legacy may not be a single missile system.It is the belief that world-class technology can be designed, developed and perfected in India when scientists are given the freedom, resources and time to innovate.For students who dream of becoming engineers, scientists or researchers, his story offers an important reminder.Not all achievements are measured by viral fame or instant success.Some projects take decades.Some breakthroughs require thousands of people to work quietly behind lab doors.And sometimes, the biggest payoff comes years later, when something you’ve built helps protect an entire nation.Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information about Dr Prahlada Ramarao, official accounts of his career and informed statements about Operation Sindoor and the Akash missile programme. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only.