Dr. Tessy Thomas

Tessy Thomas
Born	April 1963 Alappuzha (Alleppy), Kerala, India
Nationality	Indian
Education	B.Tech (Thrissur Engineering College) M.Tech Guided Missile (Institute of Armament Technology, Pune)
Occupation	Aerospace Engineer, Scientist
Known for	Agni missile program, Project Director of Agni-IV
Spouse	Saroj Kumar
Children	1 Son
Awards	Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award ETPrime Women Leadership Award (2023)

Tessy Thomas (born April 1963) is an Indian aerospace engineer known for her work on India's missile programs. She joined the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in 1985 and later became the project director of the Agni-IV ballistic missile. She is widely referred to as India's "Missile Woman" and "Agniputri" in the media.

Early Life and Education

Tessy Thomas was born in Alappuzha (Alleppy), Kerala. She completed her B.Tech from Thrissur Engineering College. She later earned an M.Tech in Guided Missile from the Institute of Armament Technology in Pune, where she also served as a faculty member.

Career

Thomas began her career with DRDO in 1985. From 1988 onward, she worked at the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) in Hyderabad, focusing on missile development.

Her primary work involved designing guidance systems and working with solid propellants used in Agni missiles. She played a key role as Assistant Project Director during the successful launch of Agni-III in May 2008.

In 2009, she became the project director of the Agni-IV ballistic missile. Following this achievement, she gained national recognition and was popularly called India's "Missile Woman".

Personal Life

Tessy Thomas is married to Saroj Kumar, a commander in the Indian Navy. The couple has one son.

Awards and Recognition

Tessy Thomas has received several awards for her contributions to science and defense technology:

• Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for excellence in missile technology
• Dr. Thomas Cangan Leadership Award (2018)
• ETPrime Women Leadership Awards – Woman Pioneer of the Year (2023)
• Named among Asian Scientist 100 (2023)

Publications

Tessy Thomas has contributed to several research publications in defense science and missile technology, including:

• "Guidance Scheme for Solid Propelled Vehicle during Atmospheric Phase" (2005)
• "Online Trajectory Reshaping for a Launch Vehicle" (2013)
• Contributions to International Symposium on Ballistics (2017)

Legacy

Tessy Thomas is regarded as a pioneering figure in India's defense research sector. Her leadership in missile development programs has played a significant role in strengthening India's strategic capabilities.