T. S. Prahlad

Tumkur Seetharamaiah Prahlad (born 21 May 1940) is an Indian aerospace scientist and the former director of the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), Bengaluru, known as a specialist in Aerodynamics and Aerospace Design. His contributions are reported in Indian civil aircraft development programmes of Hansa and NAL Saras and light combat aircraft development programme. The Government of India awarded him the civilian honour of the Padma Shri in 2004, The same year, he received the H. K. Firodia Award from H. K. Firodia Memorial Foundation.

Biography

After graduating in mechanical engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru (IISc), Prahlada continued his studies there to complete his master's degree in mechanical engineering and secured a doctoral degree (PhD) in aeronautical engineering. when the civil aircraft programme of the organization was facing difficulties. With encouragement from Raghunath Anant Mashelkar, then director general of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), he revived the NAL Saras programme and obtained the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs in 1999.

Prahlad, whose researches have been documented by several articles, has participated in many scientific projects and workshops and has delivered orations, including the Satish Dhawan Memorial Lecture of 2013. He is the chairman of the Asian Fluid Mechanics Committee, an organization promoting advanced research in Fluid Mechanics. The Government of India awarded him the civilian honour of the Padma Shri in 2004 and he received the Eminent Engineer Award of the Institution of Engineers. He continues to be associated with the National Aerospace Laboratories is its advisor and lives in the south Indian city of Bengaluru.