In order to speed up the pace of R&D activities at DRDL,decisions on vital scientific,technical and technological problems had to be taken quickly.Through out his career Kalam had sincerely pursued openness in scientific matters could be discussed collectively.Thus,a high level body called the Missile Technology Committee was formed within DRDL.They also evolved a programme by which middle level scientists and engineers could be involved in the management activities of the laboratory.
After days of debate and thinking,the long term guided missile development programme was drawn up.Kalam had read somewhere,"The great thing in the world is not knowing so much where we stand,as in what direction we are moving".
To draw up a clear and well defined missile development programme for the production of indigenous missiles,a committee was constituted under Kalam's chairmanship.They drafted a paper for the Cabinet Committee for Political Affairs(CCPA) to study.The paper was given its final shape after consulting the representative of the three Defence services-the army,navy and airfoce.They estimated an expenditure of about Rs.390 crore,spread over a period of twelve years.
Development programmes often get stuck by the time they reach the production stage,mainly because of lack of funding.They wanted to get funds to develop and produce two missiles a low level quick reaction tactical core vehicle,and a medium range surface to surface weapons system.DRDL had been known for its pioneering work in the field of anti-tank missiles.They proposed to develop a third generation anti tank guided missile having fire and forget capabilities.All his colleagues were pleased with the proposal.They saw an opportunity to pursue fresh activities.
Kalam made a presentation to the government which the Defence minister presided over,and which was attended by the three service chiefs and senior officials.Everyone seemed to have all sorts of doubts on their capabilities.The technological infrastructure,viability,schedule and cost.Dr.Arunachalam stood questioned their ambitious proposal,everyone was very excited the idea of India having her own missile systems.In the end,they were asked by Defence Minister R.Venkataraman to meet him in the evening,about three hours later.
They spent the intervening time working out possibilities.When they met the defence minister in the evening,Kalam had launch that they were going to get some funds at least.But,when he suggested that they launch an integrated GMDP instead of making missiles in phases,they could not believe their ears,and begged for time to rethink.
"Come back tomorrow morning,please,with your plan",the defence minister replied.
That night,Dr.Arunachalam and Kalam laboured together to rework their plan.They worked out some important changes in their proposal.They took all the variables such as design,Fabrication system integration,experimental flights,evaluation,updating,user trails,quality reliability and financial viability into account.They wanted to deliver contemporary missiles to our defence services and not some outdated list of weapons.A very exciting challenge had been thrown to them.
By the time we finished our work,it was morning suddenly,at the breakfast table,remembered that Kalam was to attend his niece Zameela's wedding at Rameswaram that evening.But,by then it was already too late to do anything.Zameela was more like a daughter to him.The thought of missing her wedding was very distressing.He finished breakfast and left for the meeting since there was nothing he could do.
The defence minister was visible pleased with their proposal,which had turned overnight into the blueprint of an integrated programme with far-reaching consequences.It would have wide ranging technological spin offs,and was exactly what the defence minister had in mind the previous evening.He cleared the entire proposal.
The defence minister put up their proposal before the cabinet and saw it through.An unprecedented amount of Rs.388 crore was sanctioned.Thus was born India's prestigious Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme(IGMDP).When Kalam presented the government's sanction letter before the Missile Technology Committe at DRDL.,they were not only excited,but full of fire and action.
After days of debate and thinking,the long term guided missile development programme was drawn up.Kalam had read somewhere,"The great thing in the world is not knowing so much where we stand,as in what direction we are moving".
To draw up a clear and well defined missile development programme for the production of indigenous missiles,a committee was constituted under Kalam's chairmanship.They drafted a paper for the Cabinet Committee for Political Affairs(CCPA) to study.The paper was given its final shape after consulting the representative of the three Defence services-the army,navy and airfoce.They estimated an expenditure of about Rs.390 crore,spread over a period of twelve years.
Development programmes often get stuck by the time they reach the production stage,mainly because of lack of funding.They wanted to get funds to develop and produce two missiles a low level quick reaction tactical core vehicle,and a medium range surface to surface weapons system.DRDL had been known for its pioneering work in the field of anti-tank missiles.They proposed to develop a third generation anti tank guided missile having fire and forget capabilities.All his colleagues were pleased with the proposal.They saw an opportunity to pursue fresh activities.
Kalam made a presentation to the government which the Defence minister presided over,and which was attended by the three service chiefs and senior officials.Everyone seemed to have all sorts of doubts on their capabilities.The technological infrastructure,viability,schedule and cost.Dr.Arunachalam stood questioned their ambitious proposal,everyone was very excited the idea of India having her own missile systems.In the end,they were asked by Defence Minister R.Venkataraman to meet him in the evening,about three hours later.
They spent the intervening time working out possibilities.When they met the defence minister in the evening,Kalam had launch that they were going to get some funds at least.But,when he suggested that they launch an integrated GMDP instead of making missiles in phases,they could not believe their ears,and begged for time to rethink.
"Come back tomorrow morning,please,with your plan",the defence minister replied.
That night,Dr.Arunachalam and Kalam laboured together to rework their plan.They worked out some important changes in their proposal.They took all the variables such as design,Fabrication system integration,experimental flights,evaluation,updating,user trails,quality reliability and financial viability into account.They wanted to deliver contemporary missiles to our defence services and not some outdated list of weapons.A very exciting challenge had been thrown to them.
By the time we finished our work,it was morning suddenly,at the breakfast table,remembered that Kalam was to attend his niece Zameela's wedding at Rameswaram that evening.But,by then it was already too late to do anything.Zameela was more like a daughter to him.The thought of missing her wedding was very distressing.He finished breakfast and left for the meeting since there was nothing he could do.
The defence minister was visible pleased with their proposal,which had turned overnight into the blueprint of an integrated programme with far-reaching consequences.It would have wide ranging technological spin offs,and was exactly what the defence minister had in mind the previous evening.He cleared the entire proposal.
The defence minister put up their proposal before the cabinet and saw it through.An unprecedented amount of Rs.388 crore was sanctioned.Thus was born India's prestigious Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme(IGMDP).When Kalam presented the government's sanction letter before the Missile Technology Committe at DRDL.,they were not only excited,but full of fire and action.
