CVRDE bags award

Chennai, May 25 (UNI) The Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE) of the Defence Ministry has won the 'Defence Technology Spin Off Award' for the year 2005.

The CVRDE, located at Avadi near here, had developed 'Arjun' main battle tank, missile carrier vehicle, carrier mortar vehicle, armoured ambulance and bridge layer tank for the armed forces, a Defence release here said.

Utilising the expertise gained in the development of automatic transmission for armoured vehicles, the Transmission Division of the CVRDE developed 150 HP automatic transmission for commercial vehicle application.

The world-class transmission, developed with fully indigenous technology, would reduce drivers' fatigue as there was no requirement of shifting gears and operating the clutch.

Automatic transmission, widely used in buses, trucks and cars in developed countries, was a boon for the Indian automotive industry, the release added.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh presented the award earlier this month to CVRDE Director S Sundaresh and Transmission Division Project Director P Sivakumar during the Technology Day celebrations at New Delhi.

The award is conferred on organisations developing systems for commercial/societal application as spin off defence technologies.

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