Meet Shubha V Iyengar, The Padmi Shri Scientist Who Built Technology That Keeps India’s Planes Flying Safely

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Padma Awards, announced each year on the eve of Republic Day, are among India’s highest civilian honours. They recognise individuals whose work has quietly but significantly shaped the country, often far from public attention. The 2026 list of Padma Shri awardees from Karnataka tells many such stories, from social service to science. Among them, one name stands out for more than one reason.

Dr. Shubha V Iyengar is one of the Padma Shri awardees this year, recognised in the field of science and engineering. At 71, the honour caps a career that mirrors India’s own scientific journey since independence, built on public institutions, long-term research, and indigenous innovation.A former distinguished scientist at the CSIR–National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), Dr. Shubha led the development of Drishti, India’s first indigenously built runway visibility-measuring instrument. Today, Drishti is installed at major airports across the country and is used by both civilian aviation authorities and the Indian Air Force, significantly improving aviation safety.

A Career Shaped By Science And Service

According to TOI, Dr. Shubha joined NAL in 1974 after securing first rank in both her BSc (Honours) in Physics and MSc degrees from Central College, Bengaluru. Her interest in science, she has said, was shaped early on by her father, who strongly believed that women should pursue higher education and encouraged her to complete a PhD. She lost him while she was still an MSc student but carried forward his wish through her work.The youngest of nine siblings, Dr. Shubha credits her family as her backbone. Over a career spanning more than four decades, her work cut across science, engineering, and national service, something she described as being collectively recognised through the Padma Shri. Even after retirement, she continues to advise institutions whenever called upon. “I help wherever I can,” she told TOI, reflecting a lifelong commitment to public science rather than personal recognition.

Drishti: Seeing What Pilots Couldn’t

Dr. Shubha’s most visible contribution is Drishti, a system designed to measure runway visibility during landing and take-off—critical moments in aviation, especially during fog, smog, and heavy rain.Before Drishti, India depended on imported runway visibility instruments from countries like Finland and Australia. These systems were expensive, difficult to maintain, and slow to repair. The lack of indigenous technology also meant that spare parts had to be imported, often causing long delays during breakdowns.Developed at NAL in collaboration with the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Drishti changed that equation. The instrument is highly sensitive and can predict visibility as close as four metres near the ground, following international standards. If poor visibility is detected, pilots can be alerted in advance to take necessary precautions.

One of Drishti’s biggest strengths is cost. It costs roughly one-third the price of imported instruments previously used in India. The impact of this went beyond domestic savings. Once Drishti entered the market, international suppliers were forced to slash their prices to match Indian rates. Indigenous production also meant quicker repairs. “Earlier, importing spare parts took a long time,” Dr. Shubha told Down To Earth. “Now, with the technology in our own hands, we can repair the system within a couple of hours, at a much lower cost.”Also Read: Padma Awards 2026 Announced: Late Actor Dharmendra, Rohit Sharma Among Top Honorees - Here's Full ListBy 2014, Drishti had already been installed at Lucknow’s Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, and Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. Delhi, considered one of the toughest airports in the world for visibility due to winter fog, became a crucial testing ground. According to Down To Earth, the system performed reliably even under these extreme conditions. Since then, Drishti has been deployed at many more airports across the country, with plans for wider adoption nationwide.

Dr. Shubha describes the Padma Shri as recognition for “everything put together—science, engineering, and service to the nation,” as quoted by TOI. It is a fitting summary of a career rooted in institution-building rather than individual spotlight. Dr. Shubha V Iyengar’s work does not just help planes land safely in low visibility. It stands as proof that long-term public research, when supported and sustained, can make the nation safer, more self-reliant, and technologically confident.Also Read: Padma Awards Explained: Padma Vibhushan vs Padma Bhushan vs Padma Shri