Dr Haridwar Singh
Emeritus Scientist (DRDO)
(Former Director & Outstanding Scientist, HEMRL, Pune-21)
Born in 1944, Dr Haridwar Singh obtained his Masters Degree in Chemistry in 1966. He served as a Lecturer in Chemistry at the Government Post-Graduate College, Gyanpur, Varanasi from 1966–1970. Subsequently, he joined the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory as a Scientist. He earned a PhD degree of the University of Poona, for his thesis in the field of Solid Rocket Propellant Combustion. Dr Singh is a recognized Post-Graduate Guide of the Poona University and has so far supervised a total of thirty Doctoral and Post-Graduate theses. He has more than 150 publications, eight patents and two books on “Rocket Propellants” and “High Explosives” to his credit. He has participated and chaired technical sessions in a number of international/national seminars and workshops.
Dr Singh was a Visiting Scientist at the Max-Planck Institute, Gottingen, Germany; Pennsylvania State University; University of Arizona; Army Research Lab, Maryland and Sandia National Lab, Livermore in USA. He served as an expert member of a specialist group, constituted under OPCW, Hague. Dr Singh was the President of the High Energy Materials Society of India (HEMSI), a Senior Member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Fellow, Maharashtra Academy of Sciences, Senate Member, Pune University, Member, Editorial Executive Committee, Defense Science Journal, Member, Research Board, American Biographical Institute. He is also the Honorary Member of the Russian Academy of Astronautics.
Dr Singh's major contributions include the establishment of advanced indigenous technologies for cast double base (CDB) propellants, high energy nitramine based propellants, Composite Modified Double Base (CMDB) propellants and large size case bonded rocket motors etc. He formulated methodology for life extension of propulsion systems of imported missiles, resulting in huge foreign exchange saving. His other noteworthy contributions include development of low vulnerability high energy gun propellants, high performance and thermally stable explosives and explosive reactive armor (ERA).
Dr Singh has been the recipient of a number of awards. He received Great Indian Achiever Award (2004) for setting high order of excellence in the field of HEM; AGNI Award for Excellence in Self Reliance (1998) and the Astronautical Society of India (ASI) Award (1994) in the field of rocket and allied technologies. In recognition of his outstanding Scientific contributions, he was conferred the Scientist of the Year Award twice (1993 and 1983). In addition, he is the recipient of the DRDO Cash Award and Best Paper Award of the Defense Science Journal (1984). Dr Singh has been awarded Rising Personalities of India Award for his outstanding services, achievements and contributions. He has been conferred ‘Samaj Shri’ by Indian Council of Management. He has received the prestigious Technology Leadership Award recently for his outstanding contributions in the field of solid rocket propellants, commercial explosives, high-energy materials and armaments.
Dr Singh was the Director of High Energy Materials Research Laboratory for 14 years (1990–2004). He was elevated as outstanding scientist with effect from July 2001. He worked as ‘Emeritus Scientist’ (DRDO) at ARDE, Pune from 2004 to 2006. Dr Singh worked as a ‘Visiting Professor’ at Israel Institute of Technology (IIT) Haifa during 2004–2005 and 2009. He was the Chairman of “HEM” research panel and Armament Research Board (ARMREB). Now, he is working as senior technical advisor to private companies engaged in the area of civil explosives, applied chemistry etc.
Dr Himanshu Shekhar
Scientist
High Energy Materials Research Lab, Sutarwadi, Pune – 411021
Born in 1972, Shri Shekhar was adjudged first in his batch during graduation in Mechanical Engineering. He scored 99.57 in GATE 91 and completed his M.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from IIT, Kanpur in 1993 with cent percent CPI i.e. 10.00 out of 10.00. He joined DRDO as Sc‘B’ and is now working as scientist ‘F’ (Joint Director) at its premiere research lab “High Energy Materials Research Lab” popularly known as HEMRL, Pune.
He is a team leader of a group entrusted with the task of augmenting rocket propellant processing facilities for development of advanced solid propellants. This task involved design, development, fabrication, erection, commissioning and testing of sophisticated equipment like Abrasive blasting and Abrading machine, Degreasing machine, Liner coating machine, Double cone blender, End Trimming machine, Remote controlled fire extinguishing system etc. He has been instrumental in preparation of specifications, realization and installation of numerous other facilities like horizontal and vertical curing ovens, mixer bowls, star shaped cores, vacuum casting chamber etc. He has designed an import substitute liner slurry-coating nozzle for the plant. As in-charge of facilities, he has processed more than 30 tons of propellants and ensured micro-event processing quick, smooth and safe. He has contributed for structural integrity analysis of propellants, performance prediction of solid rocket propellants, process modeling for solid rocket propellants.
His major scientific contributions include modeling of liner slurry spray coating process, propellant casting under vacuum and transient heat transfer during curing. Shekhar has more than 118 technical publications in international and national journals and has authored nine books. He has won first prizes for Science Day Competitions twice and Technology Day Awards three times. In addition, his work has been recognized by conferring Mr Engineer Award (2003) by the institution of engineers (India), National Science Day Oration Awards 2003 (DRDO), AGNI Awards for Excellence in Self-Reliance 2001. He was awarded Young Scientist Award 2004 for his meritorious contributions in the field of modeling the process parameters and performance prediction schemes for propellants and high explosives and indigenous development of automated critical machineries and components for processing case bonded solid rocket propellants. He is a life member of High Energy Materials Society of India (HEMSI) and Aeronautical Society of India (AeSI).
Shri Shekhar has a flare for writing poetry in Hindi; a collection of his poems has been published in the book entitled “Tathya-Tarang”, which has been conferred with Shri Ram Naresh Tripathi Shikhar Sahitya Samman award. He is a badminton player and has represented HEMRL. His other book in Hindi “Raket Rahasya” received the DRDO Rajbhasa Pustak Award in 2010.
