Karnataka Science and Technology Academy on Thursday honoured the former top defence scientist Vasudev K. Aatre with the academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award for 2014.
Bengaluru-born Dr. Aatre (75) was DRDO’s Director-General; Secretary, Department of Defence R&D, and Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister during 1999–2005. He is currently visiting professor at his alma mater , the Indian Institute of Science.
The award carries a gold medal, a citation and Rs. 50,000 in cash, the academy said.
The State-sponsored academy presented the award during the its seventh annual conference. The two-day event is being hosted by Oxford College of Science.
An electrical engineering and smart materials specialist, Dr. Aatre had his early education in Karnataka, BE from the University of Mysore, ME from the IISc. and Ph.D. from the University of Waterloo, Canada. After a faculty stint at the IISc., he joined DRDO’s Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory, Kochi, in 1980.
The KSTA said the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft’s first prototype flew during his tenure; he spearheaded development of the Navy’s underwater sonar technology and the design of first naval acoustic research ship, Sagardhwani, among others.
