Anand Mahindra's Monday Motivation is Dr Shubha V Iyengar, a Padma Shri scientist known for giving 'Drishti' to planes

Anand Mahindra's #MondayMotivation today features the story of Dr Shubha V Iyengar, who was recently conferred the Padma Shri 2026 for creating Drishti, India's first indigenous runway visibility-measuring system. A former senior scientist at CSIR‑NAL Bengaluru, her innovation has elevated Indian aviation safety during fog and low visibility. In his Monday motivation, the veteran industrialist shared a powerful post highlighting the inspiring journey of Dr. Shubha V. Iyengar, a scientist whose work quite literally helps aircraft land safely in dense fog.

Anand Mahindra wrote that while most of us struggle to find our way through “metaphorical fog,” Dr. Iyengar has spent decades building technology that allows pilots to see clearly through real fog, rain, and dust. Anand Mahindra's post revealed that Dr Shubha V Iyengar was a topper in both her BSc and MSc studies at a time when very few girls were encouraged to pursue careers in science. Supported by supportive parents who nurtured her curiosity, she went on to build an extraordinary career spanning over 40 years at CSIR–National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL). "When the world feels unclear, remember: someone built systems so others could land safely," Mahindra wrote, labelling Dr Shubha V Iyengar as his 'Monday motivation'.

Who is Dr Shubha V Iyengar?

Dr Shubha V Iyengar is credited for creating 'Drishti', an advanced vision system designed specifically for Indian conditions — where low visibility due to fog, dust, and rain often disrupts air travel. This is India's first homegrown runaway visibility system and it was made possible by the decades of relentless hard work. She also won a Padma Shri award for her unique contribution to aerospace technology.

Through Drishti and decades of research, Dr Shubha V. Iyengar has helped ensure that thousands of flights can land safely, even when nature makes visibility nearly impossible. Drishti has been collaborated with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and Dr Shubha V Iyengar created a device measuring down to four meters.

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Dr Shubha V Iyengar, 71, is a former distinguished scientist from CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) in Bengaluru. Dr Shubha is the youngest of nine siblings and she topped her BSc and MSc at Central College, then earned a PhD. Her father pushed her into science when few women ventured there. Joining National Aerospace Laboratories or NAL in 1974, she dedicated over 40 years to aviation technology, retiring but still advising. Her Padma Shri honours a life of quiet service to India's skies.

At NAL, Dr. Shubha tackled some of aviation’s toughest challenges, including poor runway visibility caused by fog, smog, and rain during crucial takeoffs and landings. She led multidisciplinary teams with a focus on scientific and engineering self-reliance. Her work connected laboratory research with real-world airport needs, helping reduce dependence on foreign technologies. Even after retirement, institutions continue to benefit from her expertise.

The importance of Drishti

Drishti enables pilots and air traffic controllers to make informed decisions during the most critical phases of landing and take-off by providing accurate, real-time visibility data along the runway. Often described as the runway’s “eyes” during fog, rain, or dust storms, the system continuously measures how far a pilot can actually see — from as little as 25 metres in dense fog to over 2,000 metres on clear days.

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Drishti is like the runway's eyes during fog, rain, or dust storms. It constantly measures how far pilots can actually see down the runway, anywhere from 25 meters in thick fog to over 2,000 meters on clear days. Using a light beam between two points, it gives air traffic control real-time numbers so they know exactly how safe it is for planes to land or take off. Designed specifically for India’s challenging weather patterns, the system is particularly effective at detecting sudden drops in visibility during dawn and dusk, when the risk of accidents tends to rise.

The IMD and CSIR-NAL signed an agreement in 2014 to produce and deploy Drishti systems at airports nationwide, with plans to install dozens of units at major airports. In Delhi alone, 10 Drishti units are working across the airport’s three runways, feeding live visibility data to both meteorological and control systems.

The indigenous system has replaced expensive imported alternatives with affordable, locally maintainable technology that ensures safer and smoother flight operations. Its cost-effectiveness has allowed more airports to adopt advanced visibility monitoring, reducing reliance on foreign vendors.