Top defence scientist and project director of Akash missile (surface to air missile) Ramprasad Ramakrishna Panyam died of a massive cardiac arrest.
An outstanding Scientist and Associate Director of Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Hyderabad, Panyam was 58. He is survived by wife Nalini Panyam and two children.
He was instrumental in establishing the solid integral ramjet rocket technology in India. His contribution to Akash missile resulted in placement of production orders from the Indian Army and Indian Air Force, said a release from the Hyderabad-based laboratory.
Akash is one of the missile which has gone into production. The Bharat Dynamics Ltd was given orders to the tune of over Rs 5,000 crore initially to produce the missile for the Indian defence forces. The public sector company is in the process of establishing production lines to meet the demand.