Kota Harinarayana took a sabatical from being the LCA programme director on the grounds of wanting to re-enter the research field after ensuring that his baby, the LCA, took to its maiden flight on January 4, 2001.
The little man, 68, 5’4” in height, sits unassumingly at the dining table in DRDO-ADA (Defence Research & Development Organisation-Aeronautical Development Agency) chalet. At any other place, he would not have invited a second look, but here he is the centre of attraction.
The man is Kota Harinarayana regarded as the ‘Father of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)’. He took a sabatical from being the LCA programme director on the grounds of wanting to re-enter the research field after ensuring that his baby, the LCA, took to its maiden flight on January 4, 2001.
Harinarayana, after whom the entire LCA aircraft series till the limited series production (LSP) stages are coded ‘KH’ (for Kota Harinarayana) followed by the year of make, has returned to check on his brainchild. And he is a very happy man, considering that his pet project went through the rough and tumble of the era of sanctions imposed by the US following the May 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests.
Understandably, Harinarayana was an extremely satisfied man when the LCA flew first on January 4, 2001.
But today, he is ecstatic
When DNA met this affable man on the last day of Aero India 2011, it was difficult not to notice that the cherubic personality had not changed one bit. He is still the same individual with a scientific bent of mind who spoke with a generous dose of the word ‘dear’ with whoever he interacted.
He blushes at being reminded that he is considered the ‘Father of the LCA’, but composes himself quickly to say: “I am extremely happy that the aircraft (LCA) is flying successfully...it’s a dream come true. But that will be the day when LCA begins serving the nation. And that will be when the LCA squadrons join the Indian Air Force.”
He knows how close that is from happening
Harinarayana had, by far, the toughest task among a line of LCA programme directors — he had to overcome the impact of the US sanctions and still brace himself for criticism from all corners of the defence fraternity over the sanctions-induced delays. There was not a day in the early 2000s when Kota Harinarayana was not reminded that he was working on a white elephant, and that the LCA would be obsolete right from the day it would be inducted into the force. Critics even doubted the day would ever come.
“It has been a long journey,” he says, looking distant, his voice choking, but then he instantly breaks into his wide heart-felt smile. And he has a reason: when there was a time when the defence establishment feared that the LCA Tejas would never see the light of day to replace the ageing MiG-21s, today, not only are the technology demonstrators 1 and 2 (KH 2001 and KH 2002) up and flying, the project has seen five prototypes and five limited series production of Tejas fighter aircraft. And the LCA is on the verge of being inducted finally into the Indian Air Force after overcoming a few operational issues that the Indian Air Force has with the aircraft before it obtains its final operational clearance.
Harinarayana does not have to say it, but that is the day he is keenly waiting for.
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