Hamirpur student Sarvesh Sharma secures 3.50 crore rupee Defence Ministry grant for anti jammer drone project Sarvesh Sharma, a polytechnic student from Himachal Pradesh, has been awarded a 3.50 crore rupee central grant to build an advanced radar and jammer resistant surveillance drone for the Indian Army. 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. What this means for you This technological breakthrough represents a significant advancement in empowering frontline surveillance with affordable indigenous defence equipment. • Across India: Security forces guarding remote border sectors will gain access to advanced reconnaissance tools designed to bypass hostile electronic detection. Troop formations can maintain uninterrupted intelligence feeds even when electronic countermeasures and jammers are deployed by opposing elements. • In Himachal Pradesh: Polytechnic and government school students across rural districts will draw substantial inspiration toward applied scientific research. The achievement illustrates that major defence tech startups can emerge from state diploma colleges outside metropolitan hubs. • For young innovators: Student researchers working on constrained budgets can see a verifiable pathway to securing major national grants. It raises practical awareness around government defence incubation pipelines and central funding mechanisms. • On defence manufacturing: The military ecosystem reduces reliance on costly imported surveillance platforms by nurturing field-ready domestic prototypes. Completing the project over the 20-month timeline will further reinforce home-grown aerospace capabilities. Why this happened The operational necessity to counter aggressive electronic countermeasures and hostile radar tracking along active borders prompted the development of this specialised drone. • Direct trigger: Armed forces operating in disputed border zones regularly confront signal disruption from electronic counter-drone systems. Sarvesh Sharma recognized this operational blindspot and devised a structural architecture resistant to both surveillance radar and radio jammers. • Enabling conditions: Practical problem statements presented by Konark Corps commanders during an IIT Jodhpur competition provided the initial technical spark. Armed with those field insights, the student built a viable prototype on a shoestring budget of 87 thousand rupees. • Policy framework: Dedicated mechanisms such as the Defence Innovation Organisation and iDEX exist specifically to finance and accelerate promising grassroots military tech ideas. Official verification of the concept's viability paved the way for central sanction and incubation support. Questions & Answers 1. Who is Sarvesh Sharma and where is he studying? Sarvesh Sharma is a fifth-semester computer engineering diploma student at Government Polytechnic College Hamirpur (Baroo) in Himachal Pradesh. 2. What project has received the 3.50 crore rupee Defence Ministry grant? The grant supports the development of the 'Rudra Edge T-1 (Spectra)' surveillance drone, designed to evade radar detection and resist signal jamming for the Indian Army. 3. Where will the project be incubated and tested? The project will be incubated and developed within dedicated research laboratories at IIT Roorkee. 4. What is the timeline set for completing the drone venture? The administrative documentation must be wrapped up in 20 days, and the entire project is targeted for completion within 20 months. 5. Where did Sarvesh find the initial inspiration for this defence project? He drew inspiration from discussions on border surveillance challenges during a national drone competition held at IIT Jodhpur with the Konark Corps. 6. How much was spent on the initial working prototype? Sarvesh built the initial operational model of the drone with an expenditure of only 87 thousand rupees. Inspiration & Lessons A determined focus on resolving real world problems can overcome severe financial hardship and transform humble origins into national accomplishment. • Turning problems into opportunities: Instead of merely observing operational difficulties highlighted by military personnel, Sharma actively researched viable engineering answers. Focusing directly on field needs yields impactful results. • Beginning within available means: Rather than waiting for massive capital, he built his working proof of concept with a modest 87 thousand rupees. Resourcefulness and clarity of thought matter far more in early stage innovation than lavish funding. • Rising above economic barriers: He refused to let his father's daily wage background or domestic constraints limit his professional goals. Steady academic dedication allowed him to earn recognition from premier institutions like IIT Roorkee. • Leveraging official platforms: By actively competing in national technical challenges and applying for formal defence incubation schemes, he turned an academic idea into a fully funded venture. Pursuing structured avenues is essential to scale grassroots ideas. https://trendkia.com/en/himachal-pradesh/hamirpur-ke-chhatra-sarvesh-sharma-ke-anti-jammer-drone-project-ko-defence-ministry-se-3-50-crore-rupaye-ka-anudan-mila-36835 TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.