Vallampadugai Srinivasa Raghavan Arunachalam (10 November 1935–16 August 2023) was an Indian scientist and former head of Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO).
[citation needed] Arunachalam worked as a scientist at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, National Aeronautical Laboratory in Bangalore, and Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory in Hyderabad.
[2] During his tenure the budget of DRDO increased eightfold, and he is credited with being able to get over both bureaucratic and financial hurdles.
[3] He initiated major defence projects like the Light Combat Aircraft and the Integrated Guided Missiles programmes.
He was the first Indian to be elected as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, UK.