AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DIVISION BOARD
The Institution of Engineers (India)
Felicitates
K RAMA RAO, F I E,
Eminent Aerospace Engineer
XXVI National Convention of AEROSPACE ENGINEERS
And
National Seminar on
“EXPANDING FRONTIERS IN AEROSPACE RECHNOLOGIES,
CHALLENGES AND OPPERTUNITIES”
CITATION
Shri KATHIRISETTI RAMA RAO was born on 14th September 1934 and had his
college education from Andhra Christian College Guntur. He did graduation in
Aeronautical Engineering from Madras Institute of Technology Madras from 1954 to
1957. He first was appointed by Defence Science Organization as Junior Scientific
Officer in Special Weapons Development Team (SWDT, later renamed as DRDL
Defence Research and Development Laboratory) at New Delhi. Since he was
selected for postgraduate studies, at College of Aeronautics, Cranfield, Unite
Kingdom (Previously known as Cranfield University), specializing in design and
production. In 1960 he was appointed as Head of Structures Group of SWDT at
Delhi and initiated the design and development of Anti Tank Missile (ATM)
structures.
In 1962 DRDL moved to Hyderabad for strategic reasons and as founder member
he also moved to Hyderabad and appointed as the Head of the Structures Group
contributing to the VALIANT multistage flight vehicle and DEVIL Surface to Air
missile system, Since DRDL was in the nascent stage at that time his
responsibilities also included setting up of critical infrastructural facilities that
included Vibrations, Kinetic heating, Mechanical, Structural, Environmental and
Non Destructive Evaluation (NDE) facilities for missile applications which enabled
proving that the design fully meet the flight levels that are encountered by the
system as well as the Qualitative Requirements required. In 1976 he moved to R &
D Head Quarters at Delhi as Principal Scientific Officer, in the Directorate of Rockets
and Missiles to progress various missile projects and to carry out the staff duties of
the Scientific Advisor to the Raksha Mantri. He returned to DRDL, Hyderabad as
Deputy Chief Scientific Officer, to guide the Airframe Sections required for
Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme.
In 1985 he was appointed as the Director of Advanced Composites in which
capacity he developed the Re-entry Vehicle Structure (RVS) required to protect the
payload from extreme temperatures by AGNI Missile during the re-entry in to the
atmosphere, employing indigenously developed state-of-the-art technologies such
as carbon-carbon and carbon-polymers and precision CNC winding techniques. His
other noteworthy contributions include development of ablative components for
nozzles, electromagnetically efficient composite radomes for LCA, and carboncarbon brake discs for Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). Having recognized the need for
stringent quality control for components he initiated the setting up of in house
production centre (COMPROC) for composite production at RCI, with most modern
facilities, which now plays an outstanding role in the production of Long Range
Strategic Missiles. The centre has also developed optimal multidirectional winding
techniques to meet multidimensional stresses. The Carbon /Carbon facility has been
set up to produce nose tips and throat inserts for Reentry Vehicle structures of
strategic missiles.
Shri Rao has several papers to his credit and received several awards such as a)
DRDO Scientist of the year Award in 1989 b) Mokshagundam Visveswarayya Award
as the best Engineer of the year by Institution of Engineers(I) in 1990, c) Best
Invention Award from NRDC (Govt. of India) in 1991 for development of materials
for high temperature applications.
He is a member of several Professional Bodies such as (a) Founder Member of
ISAMPE Bangalore, (b) Joint Secretary Materials Society of India, Hyderabad till
1995 (c) Fellow of Institution of Engineers (I) Fellow of Composites International
(4) Associate Member of Aero Society of India. He retired in 1995, but continued to
take active part in Scientific Matters and is blessed with affectionate wife and a son
and daughter who are married and well settled in Hyderabad.
In recognition of eminence and commendable services in the field of Aeronautical
Engineering, the Aerospace Engineering Division Board of the Institution of
Engineers (India) humbly felicitate Shri K RAMA RAO FIE, former Director,
Advanced Composites of Defence Research And Development Laboratory (DRDO)
Hyderabad on the occasion of XXVI National Conference of Aerospace Engineers
being organized by AP State Centre at Hyderabad on 24th and 25th of November
2012
(Prof T NARAYANA)
(SR VIJAYAMOHANAKUMAR)
Chairman
Chairman
IEI AP State Centre Division Board
Aerospace Engineering