A student from Government Polytechnic College Hamirpur (Baroo) in Himachal Pradesh has achieved a major milestone in indigenous defence technology. Sarvesh Sharma, currently pursuing the fifth semester of his diploma in computer engineering, has designed an unmanned aerial vehicle tailored to resolve critical border surveillance difficulties faced by the Indian Army. The central technical merit of the craft lies in its stealth capability, enabling it to evade enemy radar networks while simultaneously resisting electronic signal jammers deployed to disable airborne equipment.
Defence Ministry clears 3.50 crore rupees through IDEX and DIO
To scale and develop this indigenous surveillance solution, the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO) and Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), operating under the Ministry of Defence, have formally sanctioned a grant worth 3.50 crore rupees. Dinesh Mahor, Additional Secretary in the Department of Defence Production and Chief Executive Officer, officially cleared the budgetary allocation. The central funding represents major recognition for Sharma, who comes from a modest working class background and built his preliminary concept with minimal resources.
National competition served as testing ground for border solution
The foundation of this defence innovation took shape during a national level open cardboard drone competition hosted jointly by IIT Jodhpur and the Konark Corps of the Indian Army. The event drew 50 competitive teams from premier institutions across the country, each presenting innovative aerial platforms. During the technical sessions, military requirements surrounding secure border reconnaissance and surveillance vulnerabilities were thoroughly deliberated.
In that national contest, Sharma and his team captured the fourth position along with a cash prize of 10 lakh rupees. Energized by the technical feedback from military personnel, he set out to build an effective countermeasure for border surveillance issues. Demonstrating exceptional resourcefulness, he developed the initial iteration of the system with an expenditure of just 87 thousand rupees.
Rudra Edge T-1 Spectra specifications and 20 month incubation at IIT Roorkee
Following the successful preliminary demonstration, Sharma submitted a formal application under the DIO and iDEX startup scheme, which has now received comprehensive approval. Under the initiative, he will engineer the Rudra Edge T-1 (Spectra) drone for active operational evaluation by the armed forces. The drone is anticipated to serve as a vital asset for forward reconnaissance because hostile air defence radars cannot easily track it, and counter-drone electronic warfare systems cannot jam its guidance channels.
The Ministry of Defence has stipulated a 20-day timeframe for executing the administrative formalities connected to the startup venture. Dedicated incubation facilities have been assigned at IIT Roorkee, where Sharma will carry out development work across advanced engineering laboratories. The target schedule requires the entire project to be completed within a span of 20 months.
Modest roots and institutional pride
Sharma comes from an underprivileged household where his father, Sanjeev Sharma, works as a daily wage labourer to sustain the family. Undeterred by financial constraints, the young innovator pursued his academic ambitions diligently, completing his primary and secondary schooling at Government Senior Secondary School Bahanwin before securing admission to the polytechnic diploma course.
Commending his accomplishment, Government Polytechnic College Principal Chandrashekhar, Head of Computer Engineering Department Sameer Bharti, and faculty members extended their warmest felicitations to the student. The academic staff noted that Sharma's technical perseverance highlights how targeted grassroots engineering can contribute directly to national defence capabilities.
