Shrimati Gandhi asked . I said , “ June 1987 .” She immediately responded , “ Let me know what is needed to accelerate the flight schedule .” She wanted scientific and technological results fast . “ Your fast pace of work is the hope of the entire nation ,” she said . She also told me that the emphasis of the IGMDP should be not only on schedule but also on the pursuance of excellence . “ No matter what you achieve , you should never be completely satisfied and should always be searching for ways to prove yourself ,” she added . Within a month , she demonstrated her interest and support by sending the newly appointed Defence Minister , SB Chavan , to review our projects . Shrimati Gandhi ’ s follow-up approach was not only impressive , it was effective too . Today , everyone associated with aerospace research in our country knows that excellence is synonymous with the IGMDP .
We had our home-grown , but effective , management techniques . One such technique was concerned with followup of project activities . It basically consisted of analysing the technical as well as procedural applicability of a possible solution , testing it with the work centres , discussing it with the general body of associates and implementing it after enlisting everybody ’ s support . A large number of original ideas sprung up from the grass root level of participating work centres . If you were to ask me to indicate the single most important managerial tactic in this successful programme , I would point to the pro-active follow-up . Through follow-up on the work done at different laboratories on design , planning , supporting services , and by the inspection agencies and academic institutions , rapid progress has been achieved in the most harmonious manner . In fact , the work code in the Guided Missile Programme Office was : if you need to write a letter to a work centre , send a fax ; if you need to send a telex or fax , telephone ; and if the need arises for telephonic discussions , visit the place personally .
The power of this approach came to light when Dr Arunachalam conducted a comprehensive status review of IGMDP on 27 September 1984 . Experts from DRDO Laboratories , ISRO , academic institutions , and production agencies gathered to critically review the progress made and problems faced in the first year of implementation . Major decisions like the creation of facilities at Imarat Kancha and the establishment of a test facility were crystallized during the review . The future infrastructure at the Imarat Kancha was given the name of Research Centre Imarat ( RCI ), retaining the original identity of the place .
It was a pleasure to find an old acquaintance , TN Seshan , on the review board . Between SLV-3 and now , we had developed a mutual affection . However , this time as the Defence Secretary , Seshan ’ s queries about the schedules and viability of financial propositions presented were much more pointed . Seshan is a person who enjoys verbally bringing adversaries to their knees . Using his sharp-edged humour , Seshan would make his opponents look ridiculous . Although he is prone to be loud and can turn argumentative on occasions , in the end he would always ensure maximization of all available resources towards a solution that was within implementation . At a personal level , Seshan is a very kind-hearted and considerate person . My team was particularly pleased to answer his questions about the advanced technology employed in the IGMDP . I still remember his uncanny curiosity about the indigenous development of carbon-carbon composites . And to let you into a small secret — Seshan is perhaps the only person in the world who enjoys calling me by my full name which