Meet Dr. Shubha Venkatesh Iyengar, Agni missile scientist, whose tech is now being used by every international airport in India

President Droupadi Murmu conferred 65 Padma Awards during the second Civil Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday, including two Padma Vibhushan awards, seven Padma Bhushan awards and 56 Padma Shri awards.

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Among the awardees is Dr Shubha Venkatesh Iyengar, a scientist who served at CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories for 46 years and is being recognised for her contributions to India's aerospace, defence and indigenous technology sectors.


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Created 'Drishti' used at every Indian airport

Dr Iyengar secured first rank in both her graduation and post-graduation studies at Bangalore University and received multiple gold medals in Physics.

She developed the airport weather and runway visibility measurement system known as "Drishti", which is now mandatorily used at all international airports in India as well as by the Indian Air Force. The technology has helped save significant foreign exchange for the country.

The system has also gained international recognition, with recommendations from the World Meteorological Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization for adoption by other nations.

Role in defence and space programmes

Dr Iyengar's work has also contributed to India's defence capabilities. She addressed a complex technical issue that had prevented the Agni missile from reaching its intended target.

She further developed indigenous components capable of withstanding temperatures of 3000K and speeds of Mach 5. These components are required for missile systems and ramjet-scramjet engines and have supported India's satellite launch initiatives.

Her research has received international attention, with papers authored by her being published as official reports by NASA.

Recognised with multiple honours

Over the course of her career, Dr Iyengar has received 43 awards for her work. These include the first national "Make in India" award presented in 2015, recognising her contributions to advancing indigenous technological development and self-reliance.