By Anantha Krishnan M
Bengaluru, Jan 17: A fitting tribute for his four-decades-plus selfless work awaits India’s top missile brain and outgoing Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chief Dr Avinash Chander.
Top sources have confirmed to OneIndia on Saturday that the much-talked about canisterized version (cold launch) of the surface-to-surface Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Agni-5 will now in all likelihood be held on January 31 from Wheeler Island, off the Odisha coast.
On the same day, Dr Avinash will step down as the DRDO chief following the Modi government’s bolt-from-the-blue decision to terminate his contract, citing his age and ‘inability’ to change the system.
Top scientists from DRDO’s eight labs have begun the preparations for the critical trial of the 5000-km missile, with the launch campaign teams having started to move to Odisha.
If all plans go as per the script and the missile zeroes in on its target, then it would be an emotion-charged reply by Dr Chander’s shishyas to the ‘Yes Ministers’ in the government.
For Dr Chander too, it will pave the way for a head-held-high exit from the top office, which he otherwise was eligible to occupy till May 2016.
A section of the media had earlier reported that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was expected to witness the 3rd launch of A5, with no official confirmation coming from the PMO or the Ministry of Defence.
In short, India will probably witness for the first time the launch of a nuclear-capable missile, tipped with emotion, anger and gratitude.
* Third launch of Agni 5, first from a canister
* Dr Avinash – the main architect of A5
* Exemplary leadership
* Father of Indian nav systems
* No media interaction, focused on work
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