Tejas
The HAL Tejas is a single-engine, delta-wing, multirole light combat aircraft developed indigenously by India as its first domestically designed supersonic fighter jet.[1][2] Named after the Sanskrit term meaning "radiance" or "brilliance," the aircraft belongs to the 4.5-generation class, featuring advanced fly-by-wire controls, composite airframe materials for reduced weight, and capabilities for air superiority, ground attack, and reconnaissance missions in all-weather conditions.[1][3] Initiated in the early 1980s under the Light Combat Aircraft program to replace aging MiG-21 fleets in the Indian Air Force, the Tejas project—overseen by the Aeronautical Development Agency with manufacturing by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited—encountered substantial delays due to challenges in subsystems integration, radar development, and reliance on imported components like General Electric F404 engines.[4][5][6] Its first flight occurred in 2001, followed by Initial Operational Clearance in 2013 and full operational clearance in 2019, leading to induction into No. 45 Squadron of the Indian Air Force in 2020 as a milestone in national self-reliance despite production shortfalls that have strained squadron strength.[7][8] The upgraded Mk1A variant, incorporating active electronically scanned array radar, enhanced electronic warfare suites, and over 70% indigenous content, represents key advancements, with a September 2025 contract for 97 units valued at approximately $7 billion aimed at bolstering fleet numbers starting deliveries in 2027–28 amid ongoing engine supply constraints.[9][2][3] While lauded for fostering domestic aerospace expertise and reducing import dependence, the program has drawn scrutiny for protracted timelines—spanning over four decades for meaningful production—and debates over performance metrics relative to global peers, highlighting systemic issues in India's defense manufacturing ecosystem.[4][6][10]Etymology and cultural significance
Sanskrit and linguistic origins
The Sanskrit noun tejas (तेजस्), a neuter form often used in the plural, originates from the verbal root tij (or variant tej), signifying "to sharpen" or "to cause to shine." This etymological foundation imparts primary connotations of sharpness, such as the edge of a blade or knife, extending to the peak or point of a flame, ray of light, or glare.[11][12] Classical lexicographical works, including those referencing Monier-Williams, further elaborate tejas as encompassing glow, splendor, brilliance, fire, or inherent luminosity, reflecting its evolution from literal acuteness to abstract radiance or vital energy.[13] In Vedic literature, composed between approximately 1500 and 500 BCE, tejas appears with empirical references to observable physical phenomena, such as the flickering edges of flames or solar rays, before acquiring metaphorical extensions to denote efficacy, prestige, or inherent power akin to a substantive force.[12] This usage underscores a causal progression from tangible sharpness—rooted in the root tij's sharpening action—to a perceived "substance-power" manifesting as majesty or intensity, without implying mystical universality beyond textual attestation.[11] The term has influenced descendant Indo-Aryan languages, notably Hindi where tej (तेज) retains meanings of sharpness, luster, or spirited vigor, and has entered Dravidian contexts like Tamil via historical Sanskrit borrowing, preserving core senses of brightness or prowess in compound forms.[14][11] Such linguistic continuity demonstrates cultural transmission through classical texts, rather than independent reinvention, with no evidence of broader non-Indo-European adoption absent documented exchange.[15]Role in Indian philosophy and religion
In Samkhya philosophy, tejas constitutes one of the five mahabhutas, or gross elements, emerging from the tanmatras as the principle of fire, associated with form, heat, and transformation within the material evolution from prakriti.[16][17] This elemental framework posits tejas as governing observable physiological processes, such as the generation of color and thermal energy in organic matter, rather than as a mystical force.[14] In Ayurveda, tejas aligns with the fire element among the pancha mahabhutas, embodying the transformative agency behind metabolism, digestion, and bodily heat, distinct from the grosser manifestations of agni as digestive fire.[18] It underpins pitta dosha's role in enzymatic breakdown and energy conversion, observable in empirical terms like the maintenance of core body temperature and the catalysis of biochemical reactions, with imbalances linked to measurable conditions such as inflammation or impaired nutrient assimilation.[19] The Chandogya Upanishad (circa 800–600 BCE) references tejas as heat or fire superior to water in the hierarchy of elements, emphasizing its capacity to energize and transform life processes, as in the metaphor of consuming fatty substances akin to ingesting fire for vital conversion.[20] This portrayal ties tejas to inner vitality supporting biological functions like sustenance and motion, without invoking unverifiable supernatural radiance.[21] Tejas differs from agni, the Vedic fire deity or concrete combustion principle, by representing an abstract, subtle quality of luminosity and transmutative power rather than overt burning or ritual fire; agni denotes the active, visible flame or gastric heat, whereas tejas abstracts the underlying efficiency of transformation.[22][23] Modern interpretations sometimes conflate tejas with unsubstantiated "spiritual energies," diverging from textual emphasis on causal mechanisms in physiology and cosmology.[19]Geographical references
Etymological link to Texas
The name "Texas" derives from the Caddoan word taysha (or variants like teyshas), spoken by the Hasinai peoples of the Caddo confederation in what is now eastern Texas, signifying "friend" or "ally" as a form of greeting or tribal self-reference during encounters with outsiders.[24][25] This usage appears in Spanish colonial records from the late 17th century, particularly the expeditions of Alonso de León between 1686 and 1690, where explorers documented interactions with Hasinai groups who identified their alliance networks with this term amid efforts to counter French incursions and establish missions.[26][27] Spanish chroniclers adapted the pronunciation to "Tejas," applying it collectively to the Hasinai and neighboring tribes in missionary reports from the 1690s, such as those tied to the establishment of missions like San Francisco de los Tejas in 1690; the form persisted into Mexican provincial nomenclature before English settlers anglicized it to "Texas" following independence in 1836.[24] Linguistic evidence supports the Caddoan root through phonetic consistency—taysha aligns with recorded Hasinai phonology and the contextual role as an exonym for allied groups—over alternative hypotheses, such as a derivation from the Spanish "tejo" or "teja" denoting the yew tree (Taxus species), proposed in a 2019 analysis of 15th-century dictionaries but lacking direct ties to indigenous nomenclature or colonial expeditionary accounts.[28] The yew-tree theory, while noting superficial orthographic overlap, fails to account for the term's documented application to human alliances rather than flora in primary sources, rendering the Caddoan origin the prevailing interpretation based on historical linguistics and archival primacy.[24] Claims of a direct etymological connection to the Sanskrit tejas ("brilliance" or "sharpness") lack substantiation, representing coincidental phonetic resemblance without causal historical transmission; no colonial records or linguistic reconstructions link the term across Indo-European and Caddoan families, and such folk etymologies often arise from modern anachronistic projections rather than evidence from 16th–18th-century interactions.[29] Instead, the evolution reflects pragmatic Spanish transcription of indigenous Caddoan speech patterns during frontier diplomacy, prioritizing alliances against rival powers over unrelated linguistic borrowings.[30]Other locations
Tejas is the name of multiple barrios, or administrative subdivisions, in Puerto Rico municipalities. In Las Piedras, Tejas barrio covers approximately 6 square miles and had a population of 7,580 residents in 2023, characterized by a sparse suburban environment where most residents own their homes.[31] In Yabucoa municipality, Tejas barrio recorded a population of 2,546 in 2023, reflecting a rural setting with predominant homeownership among inhabitants.[32] Tejas in Humacao municipality, another such barrio, reported 6,448 residents in 2023, with a median age of 48.2 years and similar suburban-rural traits.[33] These divisions derive their name from the Spanish term "tejas," historically linked to indigenous references but functioning primarily as local administrative units without notable independent historical events documented beyond census records.[34]Notable individuals
People named Tejas as a given name
Tejashwi Prasad Yadav (born 9 November 1989) is an Indian politician and former professional cricketer, serving as a leader in the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and representing the Raghopur constituency in the Bihar Legislative Assembly since 2015.[35] The son of RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, he played as a left-handed batsman and right-arm medium bowler for Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League, featuring in 11 matches from 2011 to 2015 with 104 runs scored at a strike rate of 104.00 and a highest score of 37 not out.[36] Yadav held the position of Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar twice, first from July to August 2017 and again from August 2022 to January 2024, focusing on portfolios including health, road construction, and rural works.[37] Tejas Menon, known professionally as Tejas, is an Indian singer-songwriter and guitarist based in Mumbai, who released his debut album Make It Count in 2018, blending indie rock with Hindi and English lyrics, followed by Strangers Again in 2021.[38] His work has garnered attention in the Indian independent music scene for tracks addressing urban relationships and personal introspection, with live performances at festivals like NH7 Weekender.People with Tejas as a surname or epithet
Vernon Tejas (born Vernon Edward Hansel on March 16, 1953, in Portland, Oregon) is an American mountaineer and high-altitude guide who adopted Tejas as his legal surname. He completed the first documented solo winter ascent of Denali (formerly Mount McKinley), reaching the 20,320-foot summit on March 7, 1988, after a 25-day expedition involving extreme cold and solo climbing without supplemental oxygen.[39] [40] Tejas serves as a senior international guide for Alpine Ascents International, leading expeditions to peaks including the Seven Summits, such as the first solo ascent of Mount Vinson in Antarctica and winter ascents of other major summits.[41] His achievements are recorded in mountaineering logs and publications detailing the risks of solo high-altitude climbing in winter conditions.[40] The surname Tejas remains rare globally, occurring in about 1 in 1.8 million people, predominantly in Asia, with around 156 bearers in the United States per the 2010 census; it derives from the Sanskrit term for "brilliance" or "radiance," though specific etymological ties to individual bearers vary.[42] [43] No prominent historical figures are verifiably recorded with Tejas as a personal epithet in indigenous or colonial contexts beyond tribal nomenclature.Aviation and defense
HAL Tejas combat aircraft
The HAL Tejas is a single-engine, lightweight, multirole combat aircraft classified as 4.5-generation, featuring a delta wing configuration, digital fly-by-wire flight control system, and powered by a General Electric F404-GE-IN20 afterburning turbofan engine providing approximately 12,100 lbf of thrust.[44][45][46] Developed primarily by India's Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), with manufacturing led by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the program originated in the early 1980s to create an indigenous replacement for aging Soviet-origin fighters, achieving its maiden flight on January 4, 2001.[47][45] Initial operational clearance (IOC) was granted in January 2015, enabling limited series production, while final operational clearance (FOC) followed in November 2019 after extensive testing addressed weapon integration and performance shortfalls.[48] The Tejas Mk1 variant, the baseline production model, has seen over 40 units inducted into Indian Air Force (IAF) service by October 2025, forming the core of two operational squadrons tasked with air superiority, ground attack, and reconnaissance roles, primarily as a stopgap replacement for the accident-prone MiG-21 Bison fleet, which has suffered over 400 losses since 1963 due to design limitations and maintenance issues.[49][50] The upgraded Mk1A variant incorporates enhancements such as the Israeli EL/M-2052 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for superior target detection and tracking, improved electronic warfare suites, and increased indigenous content exceeding 60% through local avionics and airframe components, with deliveries of an initial 83 units contracted in 2021 supplemented by a follow-on order for 97 more signed on September 25, 2025, valued at approximately $7.5 billion.[51][52][2] Development delays, spanning over two decades from prototype to full production, stemmed from technical challenges in integrating complex avionics and sensors into a compact airframe, compounded by historical U.S. sanctions in the 1990s that restricted engine and technology access, though recent bottlenecks involve supply chain lags in GE engine deliveries rather than core design flaws.[53][54] To accelerate output, HAL inaugurated a third dedicated production line at its Nashik facility on October 16, 2025, aiming to scale Mk1A manufacturing to 16-24 aircraft annually by 2026 from prior rates of 8-16, supporting IAF goals for 180 total Tejas units while enabling potential exports.[55][56] In comparison to peers like the Saab JAS 39 Gripen, the Tejas offers similar single-engine agility and cost-effectiveness for light fighter roles but lags in proven export track record, with ongoing trials for manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) integration under HAL's Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) poised to enhance its networked warfare capabilities against regional threats.[57][58] The first Nashik-built Mk1A completed its maiden flight on October 17, 2025, validating the expanded production setup and underscoring progress toward self-reliant defense manufacturing amid persistent squadron shortages.[59][60]Transportation
Tejas Express trains
The Tejas Express trains are a category of semi-high-speed, fully air-conditioned premium rail services operated by Indian Railways, featuring modern amenities such as automatic doors, onboard Wi-Fi, infotainment screens at each seat, and multi-cuisine catering managed by IRCTC in select operations.[61][62] The name "Tejas," denoting brilliance or sharpness in Sanskrit, evokes indigenous technological advancement, paralleling the HAL Tejas aircraft's emphasis on self-reliance.[61] Introduced to offer superior passenger experience over standard expresses, these trains prioritize chair car configurations with executive and standard classes, including bio-vacuum toilets, CCTV surveillance, and ergonomic seating.[63] The inaugural Tejas Express service commenced on 22 May 2017 between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (Mumbai) and Karmali (Goa), covering 552 km in approximately 8.5 hours with limited halts.[64] Subsequent routes expanded under public-private partnership models, with IRCTC assuming full operational responsibility for the Lucknow-New Delhi Tejas Express starting 4 October 2019, marking India's first corporately managed train on that 510 km corridor.[65] By 2021, four pairs of Tejas services were active, including Ahmedabad-Mumbai (with capacities for 736 passengers across two executive and eight chair cars) and Chennai Egmore-Madurai.[63][66] As of 2025, operations have grown to include variants like Tejas Rajdhani expresses (e.g., Mumbai Central-New Delhi at speeds up to 130 km/h operational), alongside electrification-driven enhancements enabling select sections to approach design potentials of 160-200 km/h, though actual averages remain constrained by legacy track infrastructure and freight prioritization.[66][67]| Route Pair | Key Stops | Distance (km) | Avg. Speed (km/h) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mumbai CST-Karmali | Dadar, Thane, Panvel, Ratnagiri | 552 | ~65 | Inaugural; weekly service initially.[64] |
| Lucknow-New Delhi | Kanpur, Ghaziabad | 510 | ~80 | IRCTC-operated; departs Lucknow 6:10 AM, arrives Delhi 12:25 PM.[65] |
| Ahmedabad-Mumbai | Vadodara, Surat, Vapi | ~460 | ~70 | Premium chair cars; halts optimized for efficiency.[63] |
| Chennai Egmore-Madurai | Tiruchirappalli, Dindigul | ~495 | ~75 | Focuses on southern connectivity; modern loco for 160 km/h capability.[68] |