‘I Couldn't Speak': When Prahlada Ramarao Saw His ‘Baby' Akash Rule The Skies And Pakistan
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He built it over decades. During Operation Sindoor, it delivered. Former DRDO scientist Prahlada Ramarao tells CNN-News18 what it meant to see his 'baby' Akash defend India
In the wake of Operation Sindoor — India's calibrated military response to one of the deadliest terror attacks in Kashmir — Akash, the country's homegrown surface-to-air missile system, has taken centre stage in national security. In an exclusive conversation with CNN-News18's Rahul Shivshankar, Dr Prahlada Ramarao — Padma Shri awardee, former DRDO scientist, and the man who led the development of India's Akash missile system — opened up about the emotional and strategic significance of seeing his missile defend the nation in real-time conflict.
When asked how it felt to see Akash deployed in an actual conflict zone, Dr Ramarao became visibly emotional. He recalled the moment he first heard that Akash had successfully intercepted enemy threats. 'I couldn't even speak," he admitted. 'My wife told me it had worked, and the first person I remembered was Dr Kalam."
Personally chosen by India's 'Missile Man' Dr APJ Abdul Kalam in the early 1990s, Ramarao was appointed the youngest project director at just 35 to lead the Akash programme — a responsibility that would come to define his life's work.
#AkashMissile | The science behind is the propulsion of the missile. We had to develop the ramjet propulsion system for the missile: Dr Prahlada Ramarao – Former DRDO Scientist (Creator of Akash Missile) #IndiaPakistan #AkashMissileDefenceSystem #TheHardFacts | @RShivshankar pic.twitter.com/84Xl6x7Wfb — News18 (@CNNnews18) May 14, 2025
Having spent over 15 years building the missile system from the ground up, he said Akash was like his own child — 'my baby" — and watching it succeed in battle was a moment of overwhelming pride.
Akash's performance in Operation Sindoor — India's calibrated and strategic military response to the Pahalgam terror attack — marked a significant milestone not just for DRDO, but for India's evolving defence doctrine. Relying on stand-off precision weaponry, Indian forces were able to neutralise terrorist infrastructure without physically crossing the Line of Control or international boundary.
Akash was central to this effort. Developed as a short-range surface-to-air missile (SRSAM), the system is designed to protect vulnerable areas and assets from aerial attacks. Configured entirely on mobile platforms, Akash can engage multiple targets in both autonomous and group modes, and features electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM) to neutralise jamming attempts. During Operation Sindoor, it operated alongside other platforms like Pechora, OSA-AK, and LLAD guns — together creating a layered defensive grid that proved essential in countering asymmetric threats including drone swarms and low-flying missiles.
Reflecting on the journey from blueprint to battlefield, Dr Ramarao explained that while most missile systems are developed by scaling existing technology into deployable products, the Akash system demanded a more fundamental, scientific approach. There were two major breakthroughs involved. First, India had to develop a phased array radar — something that did not exist in the country at the time. The result was the Rajendra radar system, designed using complex microwave and RF engineering, digital electronics, and microelectronics.
The second challenge was even greater: building a ramjet propulsion system that would allow Akash to maintain supersonic speeds till impact. At the time, only one other country in the world had such a capability. The propulsion system required deep expertise in propellant chemistry and high-speed aerodynamics, which India had to develop from scratch.
On whether the Indian military was always confident about the missile's capabilities, Dr Ramarao clarified that while there wasn't resistance, there was some initial apprehension from both the Army and the Air Force. Their concerns, he said, centred around whether Akash could truly deliver the kind of target tracking accuracy and kill probability that modern warfare demands. 'They asked whether we could maintain a 99 per cent success rate at 25 kilometres," he said. 'We demonstrated that we could."
He also recalled the pressure of leading the Akash project at just 35. He said the early years were filled with anxiety, but he was fortunate to lead a group of scientists spread across five DRDO laboratories who shared his passion and sense of mission. Together, they refined everything — from warhead lethality and radar signal integrity to fragment dispersion and impact pressure. 'We found the perfect recipe," he said. 'The credit belongs to the entire team."
One of the most remarkable aspects of the Akash project was its budget. India managed to develop the missile system with one-tenth the funding typically required for similar projects in Western countries. Dr Ramarao said this was possible because of India's inherently frugal innovation model. 'Manpower, services — all are lower cost here. But our brainpower is no less," he said. 'We had limited resources. But we delivered."
Despite the odds, Akash was not only completed but successfully inducted into India's defence architecture — and now stands as one of the key deterrents against airborne threats. Reflecting on the journey, Dr Ramarao said that for him, Akash is more than a missile. 'It is our collective resolve cast in steel," he said. 'Every time it flies, it represents the dreams and determination of a billion Indians."
In a security environment increasingly shaped by technology, precision, and self-reliance, the story of Akash — and the visionary who built it — stands as a powerful reminder of what India can achieve when science, leadership, and national will converge.
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akash DRDO Operation Sindoor Surface to Air Missile
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New Delhi, India, India
First Published:
May 15, 2025, 14:27 IST
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