V. K. Aatre

2021-03-20T21:12:14Z

2409:4071:2495:DB5C:0:0:5D2:88A1:

{{Short description|Indian Scientist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2017}}
{{BLP sources|date=May 2016}}
{{Infobox scientist
|name = Vasudev Kalkunte Aatre
|image =
|image_size =
|caption =
|birth_date = 1939 
|birth_place = [[Bangalore]], [[British India]]
|citizenship = India
|field = [[Electrical engineering]]
|alma_mater = [[University of Waterloo]], [[Canada]]<br>[[Indian Institute of Science]]
|work_institution = [[Indian Institute of Science]]<br>[[Defence Research and Development Organisation]]<br>[[Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory|Naval Physical & Oceanographic Lab]]
|doctoral_advisor =
|known_for =
|prizes = [[Padma Bhushan]]<br>[[Padma Vibhushan]]
|footnotes =
}}
'''Vasudev Kalkunte Aatre''' (born 1939) is an Indian scientist and former head of the [[Defence Research and Development Organisation]] (DRDO),<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/former-drdo-chief-vk-aatre-to-submit-report-on-strategic-partnership-this-week/articleshow/50521993.cms?from=mdr|title=Former DRDO chief VK Aatre to submit report on strategic partnership this week|date=2018-07-11|work=[[The Economic Times]]|access-date=2020-03-23}}</ref> India's premier Defence [[research and development]] organization. In that capacity, he also served as the Scientific Advisor to the [[Ministry of Defence (India)|Defence Minister]] (''Raksha Mantri''). He is a recipient of the [[Padma Vibhushan]] award.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://expert.inae.in/index.php/vasudev-kalkunte-aatre|title=Vasudev Kalkunte Aatre|website=expert.inae.in|access-date=2020-01-10}}</ref>

==Biography==
Aatre was born in 1939 in [[Bangalore]]. He completed his [[Bachelor of Engineering|BE]] in [[Electrical Engineering]] from [[University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering]] (UVCE), Bangalore then part of [[University of Mysore]] in 1961 and a master's degree from the [[Indian Institute of Science]] (IISc), Bangalore, in 1963.<ref name="Dr.">{{Cite web |url=http://www.drdo.org/pub/nl/Feb2000/appointednlfeb.htm |title=www.drdo.org |access-date=5 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041227102836/http://www.drdo.org/pub/nl/Feb2000/appointednlfeb.htm |archive-date=27 December 2004 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> He was awarded a [[PhD]] in Electrical Engineering from the [[University of Waterloo]], Canada, in 1967. Thereafter, he worked as a Professor of Electrical Engineering at the [[Technical University of Nova Scotia]], [[City of Halifax|Halifax]], Canada, until 1980.<ref name="Dr."/> He was a Visiting Professor at IISc till 1977. He is a former member of the [[Defence Research & Development Service]] (DRDS).

In 1980, Aatre joined DRDO at the [[Naval Physical & Oceanographic Laboratory]] (NPOL), [[Cochin]], and became its Director in 1984. He was later appointed as Chief Controller (R&D) of DRDO. In February 2000, he replaced [[Abdul Kalam]] as the Director General of DRDO and SA to RM, serving as scientific advisor to the then Defence Minister, [[George Fernandes]]. He retired in October 2004 and was replaced by Dr. M. Natrajan.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Soaring High ; A Biography of Dr. Vasudev K. Aatre|last=Divyananda|first=K|last2=Selvamurthy|first2=W|publisher=I.K. International Publishing House (February 16, 2005)|year=2005|isbn=8188237248}}</ref>

Aatre was awarded the [[Padma Bhushan]] award in 2000 by the then [[President of India|President]] [[K. R. Narayanan]].<ref name="Dr."/>
He was bestowed with [[Padma Vibhushan]] award, India's second highest civilian award in 2016. He is now chairman of IIEST SHIBPUR, Howrah.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/Scientist-VK-Aatre-gets-Padma-Vibhushan/articleshow/50718667.cms|title=turban: Scientist VK Aatre gets Padma Vibhushan {{!}} Bengaluru News - Times of India|last=Jan 25|first=Chethan Kumar {{!}} TNN {{!}} Updated|last2=2016|website=The Times of India|language=en|access-date=2020-01-10|last3=Ist|first3=17:20}}</ref>

In 2015, [[Karnataka Science and Technology Academy|Karnataka Science and Technology]] awarded him with the academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award for 2014.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/exchief-of-drdo-vk-aatre-honoured/article6863356.ece|title=Ex-chief of DRDO V.K. Aatre honoured|date=2015-02-06|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=2020-03-23|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of University of Waterloo people]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Dr. K Divyananda; Dr. [[W Selvamurthy]] (2005). ''Soaring High: A Biography of Dr. V. K. Aatre''. New Delhi: IK International {{ISBN|81-88237-24-8}}

{{Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)}}
{{Padma Vibhushan Awards}}
{{PadmaBhushanAwardRecipients 2000–09}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aatre, V. K.}}
[[Category:Indian electrical engineers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in science & engineering]]
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Scientists from Bangalore]]
[[Category:Indian Institute of Science alumni]]
[[Category:University of Mysore alumni]]
[[Category:University of Waterloo alumni]]
[[Category:Fellows of The National Academy of Sciences, India]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan in science & engineering]]
[[Category:Engineers from Karnataka]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian engineers]]
[[Category:University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering alumni]]

{{India-scientist-stub}}

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V. K. Aatre