Avinash Chander (DRDO)

Avinash Chander is an Indian scientist who was Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister, the Director General of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development. He had succeeded V. K. Saraswat to this post.

He is the chief architect of the Agni series of ballistic missile systems. Chander is a recipient of the Padma Shri from the Government of India

Education
Chander joined DRDO after completing his training in Electrical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi). He subsequently pursued an MS in Spatial Information Technology and Doctorate from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad (JNTU, Hyderabad).

Leaving DRDO
After completion of 42 years of Distinguished Service in DRDO, on 14 January 2015, the Department of Personnel and Training advised his contract as Chief of DRDO was to finish on 31 January 2015.

Awards
Chander is recipient of numerous awards, some of which are listed below:
 * 1) IIT Delhi Alumni Award
 * 2) Padma Shri
 * 3) DRDO Scientist of the year, 1989
 * 4) Astronautical Society of India Award, 1997
 * 5) Awarded by Dr. R. Chidambaram, Principal Scientific Advisor to Govt. of India.
 * 6) AGNI Self-Reliance Award, 1999
 * 7) Dr. Biren Roy Space Science Award, 2000
 * 8) DRDO Award, 2007
 * 9) Outstanding Technologist Award, 2008
 * 10) DRDO Technology Leadership Award, 2008
 * 11) Fellow, Indian National Academy of Engineers
 * 12) Fellow, System Society of India
 * 13) Fellow, Andhra Pradesh Academy of Sciences
 * 14) Vice-president, Astronautical Society of India
 * 15) Chairman – Sensors Research Society, India
 * 16) Aryabhata Award - Astronautical Society of India.
 * 17) Eminent Engineer Award, The Institute of Engineers (India) 2016.