New Delhi (ISJ) – The Union Government on Tuesday (Jan 14) sacked Avinash Chander, chief of DRDO abruptly one-and-a-half years ahead of the end of his term. The decision to end the contract of Chander effective January 31 was taken by the Appointments Committee to the Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Though the order terminating the services of Chander was posted on the website of Ministry of Personnel & Training, it was quickly taken out. There is, however, no official explanation for the premature termination of his contract.
Chander is considered to be the chief architect of India?s Agni series of ballistic missile system. According to his profile on the website of Defence Research and Development Organisation, DRDO, ?development of Agni range of missiles in highly restrictive international control regimes was possible only out of his technology forecast, perspective planning and relentless efforts?.
Avinash Chander had taken over as Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister, Secretary Defence Research & Development and Director General, DRDO on May 31, 2013. His appoint was for a period of three years.
The whisper in the corridors of power in Delhi is, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was unhappy with the DRDO Chief. He had told the DRDO that ?Our acceptance in the world and our demand is not in ?someone has done, so should we?. Modi had asked DRDO scientists, during an award ceremony in August last year, why can?t India be ahead of time in terms of technology.
?World is changing very rapidly. The contours of war has also changed, the parameter of security and destruction in war has also changed. The way technology is predominantly driving everyday life, every aspect of life, the security scenario is also changing very fast. By the time we conceptualise a product, someone would come out with it. Therefore, the big challenge before India as I see is, how we keep our pace ahead of time,? then Modi had said.
Avinash Chander is an alumni of Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and did his MS in spatial Information Technology from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad. His area of research was solid propulsion, which is the backbone of long-range missile system.
