One of the earlier prototypes of India's advanced light fighter TEJAS

Stronger air force means great leadership: Kota Harinarayana

Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) or TEJAS, the indigenously-developed fourth generation fighter, is far better than the ones developed in any other advanced country, said Kota Harinarayana, honorary adviser of CSIR- National Aeronautics Laboratory and chairman general of Aeronautics Pvt. Ltd, Bangalore, here on Friday.


He reminded the expertise and involvement of various laboratories in Hyderabad, particularly the CSIR-IICT, in the development of LCA. The whole world is shifting from manned to unmanned and this process should help the education, agriculture and medical fields as well as in security applications too, he said. Dr. Harinarayana was delivering the AV. Rama Rao Technology Award Lecture on ‘From Manned Fighters to Unmanned Aircraft- The journey’ at CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology.

He was the chief designer of the LCA program and a renowned leader in building drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles that can be deployed in critical activities. Stronger air force means great leadership and this leads to prosperity, he said and emphasised on indigenous aircraft technology for fighter aircraft, civilian aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.