Tessy Thomas

Dr Tessy Thomas is an eminent Indian scientist and aerospace engineer, best known for her pioneering work in the development of India’s ballistic missile technology under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Popularly known as the “Missile Woman of India”, she has made significant contributions to the Agni series of missiles, particularly Agni-IV and Agni-V, and holds the distinction of being the first woman scientist in India to head a major missile project.

Early Life and Education

Tessy Thomas was born in April 1963 in Alappuzha (Alleppey), Kerala, into a middle-class family. From an early age, she showed a strong aptitude for mathematics and science. Inspired by India’s space and defence programmes, she aspired to become an engineer.
She completed her schooling in Kerala and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (B.Tech) in Electrical Engineering from the Government Engineering College, Thrissur (then affiliated with Calicut University). She later obtained a Master’s degree in Guided Missiles from the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT), Pune, and pursued an MBA in Operations Management.
In recognition of her expertise and leadership in missile systems, she was later awarded a Doctorate (PhD) for her research in missile technology.

Career Beginnings at DRDO

Dr Tessy Thomas began her professional career in 1988, when she joined the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). She was initially posted at the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP), led by Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, then Director of the DRDO and India’s foremost missile scientist.
Under Dr Kalam’s mentorship, Tessy Thomas worked on critical components of missile guidance, control, and navigation systems, which became the foundation of her later contributions to India’s strategic defence capability.
Her early assignments included work on the Agni missile series, a family of intermediate and intercontinental-range ballistic missiles forming the backbone of India’s nuclear deterrent force.

Role in the Agni Missile Programme

Dr Thomas’s most distinguished contributions are associated with the Agni programme, one of India’s most advanced and strategic defence initiatives.

• She served as the Project Director for Agni-IV, a two-stage solid-fuel missile with a range of about 4,000 kilometres, successfully tested in 2011.
• Later, she became the Project Director for Agni-V, India’s first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), with a range exceeding 5,000 kilometres.
• Under her leadership, Agni-V achieved successful flight tests, showcasing India’s growing self-reliance in advanced aerospace technology.

Her expertise in guidance systems, trajectory optimisation, and re-entry vehicle design has been crucial to ensuring the missiles’ high accuracy and reliability.
These achievements made Dr Tessy Thomas the first woman scientist in India to lead a missile development project, breaking gender barriers in one of the most technologically challenging fields.

Leadership Roles

Dr Tessy Thomas has held several key leadership positions within DRDO:

• Director, Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL), Hyderabad, one of DRDO’s premier missile research and development centres.
• Director General (Aero Systems), DRDO, overseeing advanced aerospace systems and defence research.
• Project Director, Agni-IV and Agni-V, under the Advanced Systems Laboratory.

She has also been involved in guiding various indigenous programmes aimed at enhancing India’s strategic deterrence and defence autonomy.

Research and Technical Expertise

Dr Tessy Thomas’s research and technical work spans several domains within missile and defence systems engineering, including:

• Missile trajectory and flight dynamics.
• Inertial navigation and guidance control.
• Solid propulsion systems.
• Thermal protection and re-entry vehicle technologies.
• Systems integration and testing of long-range missiles.

Her contributions have been instrumental in achieving high precision and reliability in India’s missile systems, contributing to the credibility of the country’s nuclear triad.

Awards and Recognitions

Dr Tessy Thomas’s outstanding achievements have earned her numerous national and international accolades, including:

• Agni Award for Excellence in Self-Reliance (2001), for her role in the Agni programme.
• DRDO Scientist of the Year Award (2008).
• Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for Excellence in Public Administration (2012).
• Suman Sharma Award from the Aeronautical Society of India.
• IEEE Woman Engineer of the Year Award (2016).
• APJ Abdul Kalam Award (2018), recognising her contribution to aerospace engineering and national defence.
• Numerous honours from academic and professional institutions, including honorary doctorates from leading universities.

Her achievements have also been celebrated in media and educational forums as a symbol of women’s empowerment in science and technology.

Contributions to Women in Science

Beyond her scientific work, Dr Tessy Thomas has been an advocate for the inclusion of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). She has inspired a generation of young women to pursue careers in defence and aerospace research.
She frequently addresses academic institutions and public forums, encouraging women to break stereotypes and contribute to India’s scientific progress. Her leadership within DRDO has opened new pathways for women scientists in high-technology domains.

Personal Traits and Leadership Style

Colleagues describe Dr Tessy Thomas as a disciplined, detail-oriented, and visionary leader. Known for her humility and dedication, she maintains a hands-on approach to engineering challenges. Her leadership blends technical acumen with strategic foresight, emphasising teamwork, precision, and innovation.
Her ability to manage complex, high-stakes projects under strict timelines has made her one of the most respected figures in India’s defence scientific community.

Significance and Legacy

Dr Tessy Thomas stands as a symbol of India’s scientific self-reliance and gender progress. Her leadership in the Agni missile programme not only strengthened India’s strategic defence but also shattered long-standing gender barriers in the field of military technology.
Her success highlights the rise of Indian women in leadership roles within scientific research and defence engineering—an area traditionally dominated by men.