The Agni, a Missile and a Woman!

Inside the four walls or out, women are more commonly victimized and also abused, specially verbally and emotionally, although sometimes even physically as well. Status is not a matter; all are bonded to a same chord. Be it Poor or middle class or a rich and powerful like Orpha Winfrey, all have a story to tell. However, in every darkness there is light, it is heartwarming to see some of these women are gone make it large, they simply can be called as path breaker. My tribute to the one and only Tessy Thomas, the missile woman.

Agni – V

The successful test launch of the missile is a major leap forward for India in the area of military technology and military deterrent capability, making it the fifth country in the world to possess such a technology.

Agni-5, with a range of over 5,000 km, is a three-stage, all solid fuel powered, 17-metre tall missile with capability to carry various forms of payload. It can be launched from land-based mobile platform and has the capability of hitting multiple targets.

In 19 April 2012 at 8.07 am, the Agni V was successfully test-fired by DRDO from Wheeler Island off the coast of Orissa.

Tessy Thomas

Having broken through glass ceilings in various professions, women in the country now have another reason to celebrate as one from amongst them is set to head a key missile project. The Government has announced the path-breaking appointment of 45-year-old defence scientist, Dr. Tessy Thomas, one of around 200 women scientists and technicians working for the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), as project director of the upgraded version of the 2000 km intermediate range nuclear capable ballistic missile, Agni-II.

Dr. Thomas is currently associate project director of the 3,000 km range Agni-III missile project.

Tessy Thomas  is from Alappuzha, Kerala. She  was born to a small-businessman and mother was a homemaker. She did her engineering  graduation  from Government Engineering College, Thrissur. She grew up near a rocket launching station and says her fascination with rockets and missiles began then. She also has an M.Tech in Guided Missile from the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, Pune. She was named after Mother Teresa, the late Nobel laureate.

She is married to Saroj Kumar, now a commodore in the Indian Navy and they have a son, Tejas  an engineering student who shares his name with India's indigenously developed light combat aircraft, also made by the DRDO. In a glowing tribute in 2008, The Indian Woman Scientists Association did not forget to mention that "like most women Tessy Thomas also does a tight-rope walk between home and career, between being a mother and a scientist who is dedicated to her job. "We feel Tessy Thomas serves as a role model and an inspiration for women scientists to achieve their dreams and have their feet planted in both worlds successfully," the group said.

Thomas, was also part of the team that was involved in the post-test analysis of the failed firing of the first Agni-III missile. She said there were some shortcomings in the missile which were overcome resulting in a smooth flawless test.

!!!A 5000+ range missile and a bunch of  Weaker Sex, Fairer one whatever you call them, it is reality.!!!