Dr VG Sekaran, father of the Agni-5 is DRDO's new missile chief

DRDO Press Release (bold type as in original)

Dr V.G. Sekaran, Distinguished Scientist and Director, Advanced Systems Laboratory has been appointed as Chief Controller R&D (Missiles & Strategic Systems) and Programme Director, AGNI w.e.f. 03 June 2013. He is an eminent Missile Scientist and the Chief Designer of the Long Range Ballistic Missile System AGNI 5.                                       As Director, Advanced Systems Laboratory, played a key role in envisioning and evolving the Strategies for Long Range Missiles and led the design and development of AGNI series of Missile Systems.

A Graduate in Mechanical Engineering and pursued his M.E Degree (Aeronautical Engineering) from IISc, Bangalore.  Recipient of visiting studentship at the                         Queen’s University where he completed his Ph.D. in Aeronautical Engineering in 1981 and was subsequently awarded Post Doctoral Research fellow at the University of Southampton till 1984.

Joined DRDO in 1984 and was involved in the design and development of Re-entry systems and technology for ballistic missile applications.  The design and engineering was demonstrated in many flight tests.  He was Project Director in the operationalisation of AGNI Systems and is one of the core members in shaping the Ballistic Missile Programme in the country.

His pioneering contributions and research in the area of Solid Propellant Rocket Motors is now the main thrust and the backbone of Long Range Missile System. Under his dynamic leadership, ASL carried out extensive Research and indigenously developed the critical technologies. As Project Director of Agni 3 Missile system he led the complete development flight tests, productionisation and basing. 

The Distinguished Scientist has received numerous awards and honours including the DRDO Scientist of the Year, Path Breaking Research/Outstanding Technology Development Award, and the Technology Leadership Award.