The post had been vacant since May after the then Chief Dr. S. Christopher stepped down
The Government on Saturday appointed eminent scientist Dr. G. Satheesh Reddy as the Chairman of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The top post of the DRDO had been vacant since May after the then Chief Dr. S. Christopher stepped down.
“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Dr. G Satheesh Reddy, Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri to the post of Secretary, Department of Defence Research & development and Chairman, DRDO for a period of two years with effect from the date of assumption of charge or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” a Government order said.
A missile scientist, Dr. Reddy was holding charge as the Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister and also as Director General of the strategic missiles division.
As head of the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), he is credited with the indigenous development of seeker technology, a critical component in missiles.
By IANS Published: 29th May 2015 01:37 PM – The New Indian Express NEW DELHI: Radar specialist S. Christopher took charge as the new director general of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and its secretary at on Friday morning, with the appointment being welcomed by defence scientists and officials.
Christopher was on Thursday night appointed chief of the premier defence research agency for two years by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
The DRDO was without a full-time chief for around four months ever since Avinash Chander was unceremoniously removed on January 31.
Christopher was heading the Bengaluru-based Centre for Airborne Systems and the project to develop an airborne early warning and control system before his new appointment.
Earlier, DRDO chief was also the scientific adviser to the defence minister, but the post has now been split.
Missile scientist G.S. Reddy was appointed as the scientific adviser to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar for two years on Thursday night.
DRDO scientists and officials welcomed the appointment, saying that functional difficulties had cropped up due to the absence of a full-time DRDO chief.
“It is a welcome step; without a full-time chief cost DRDO in the last four months; impacted the work as coordination was suffering,” a senior DRDO official told IANS.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar recently said that the absence of a full-time DRDO chief was being compensated with more powers to cluster heads.
A DRDO official, however, maintained that it did not solve the problem.
“Coordination between clusters is needed for smooth running of things. That is where the problem was,” said an official aware of the developments.
A senior scientist, meanwhile, said that some tests also suffered due to lack of clear guidance.
“Some tests suffered because there was lack of clarity. There was no clear boss; it makes a lot of difference,” said the scientist.
Officials also appreciated the decision to split the post of DRDO chief to appoint a separate scientific adviser to the defence minister.
“The role of scientific adviser must extend beyond the DRDO. There are other departments, like ordnance factories, which also need to be focused upon. This is a good move,” a senior scientist told IANS.
“The DRDO chief and scientific adviser will have to work in close coordination though; a new structure is now expected to evolve,” the scientist added.
Christopher’s predecessor Chander held the posts of director general, DRDO, and scientific adviser to the defence minister, and secretary DRDO.
Defence Secretary R.K. Mathur was later given the additional charge of secretary DRDO.
AUTHOR: NITI PIB BOT – MAY 9, 2015http://www.niticentral.com//2015/05/09/modernisation-of-drdo-312496.html
Modernisation of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is a continuous process.
One of the major recommendations of Kelkar Committee report was to review the functioning of DRDO. Accordingly, a Committee headed by Dr. P. Rama Rao was constituted by the Government for reviewing the functioning of DRDO.
The Committee submitted its report to the Government. After examination, the Government has implemented the following recommendations of the Committee:
• Nomination of Nodal Officers for structured interaction between DRDO and Services.
• Introduction of Integrated Financial Advice (IFA) Scheme for financial decentralization.
• Appointment of a dedicated Chief Controller for Human Resources (HR).
· Creation of Seven Technology Domain based Clusters headed by Director’s General,Restructuring of DRDO HQrs, Creation of Directorate of Systems Analysis and Modelling (SAM) and Directorate of Quality, Reliability and Safety (QR&S).
· Efforts have also been made to increase budget for Extramural Research as recommended by the Committee.
Further,a note has been initiated by DRDO for approval of the Cabinet for:
· Creation of empowered Defence Technology Commission (DTC).
· Creation of a Commercial Arm of DRDO.
· Renaming of Director General, DRDO as Chairman, DRDO.
· Full scale implementation of IFA scheme and creation of posts thereto.
This information was given by Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar in a written reply to Shrimati Meenakashi Lekhi in Lok Sabha today.
An order by the DoPT said Mathur would now hold the additional charge as secretary of DRDO till May 24. By: Express News Service | Published on:May 6, 2015 12:46 am
Buying itself more time to choose a full-time head for the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the government Tuesday extended the tenure of defence secretary R K Mathur’s additional charge as DRDO head. An order by the DoPT said Mathur would now hold the additional charge as secretary of DRDO till May 24.
“The appointments committee of the Cabinet has approved the extension of additional charge of the post of secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development assigned to Shri Radha Krishna Mathur, IAS, Defence Secretary for a period up to 24.05.2015 or till the appointment of a regular incumbent or till further orders, whichever is the earliest,” the order said. Mathur has been holding the additional responsibility since January 31.
Indiatoday.in PTI New Delhi, January 13, 2015 | UPDATED 21:48 IST The government on Tuesday removed Chief of top defence research organisation Avinash Chander, 15 months before his contract was to end.
The Appointments Committee of Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi “approved the termination” of the contract of Avinash Chander with effect from January 31, an official notification said.
Interestingly, Chander who was Secretary, Defence Research and Development cum Director General, DRDO and Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister, had retired on November 30 last on attaining 64 years of age and he was given a contract for 18 months till May 31 next year.
The removal of Chander after being given a contract raises questions over the Government action.
Analysts believe that the action could have been taken against the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s comment that the ‘laid back’ attitude in the DRDO will not be tolerated during a visit last year.
Efforts to contact Chander did not fructify as he did not answer the calls made on his phone.
Chander joined DRDO in 1972 after completing graduation in Electrical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi.
Chander is the chief architect of Agni series of ballistic missile systems.
Development of Agni range of missiles under a highly-restrictive international control regimes was possible only out of his technology forecast, perspective planning and relentless efforts, DRDO officials said.
NDTV-All India | Press Trust of India | Updated: January 13, 2015 21:50 IST
NEW DELHI: The government today removed the chief of the Defence Research and Development Organisation Avinash Chander, 15 months before his contract was to end.
The Appointments Committee of Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi “approved the termination” of the contract of Avinash Chander with effect from January 31, an official notification said.
Interestingly, Mr Chander who was Secretary, Defence Research and Development cum Director General, DRDO and Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister, had retired on November 30 last year after he turned 64. He was given a contract for 18 months till May 31 next year.
Efforts to contact Mr Chander did not fructify as he did not answer the calls made on his phone.
Mr Chander joined the DRDO in 1972 after completing his graduation in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.
He is considered to be the chief architect of Agni series of ballistic missile systems.
Development of the Agni range of missiles under a highly-restrictive international control regime was possible only due to his technology forecast, perspective planning and relentless efforts, DRDO officials said.
IBN Live – Jan 13, 2015 at 08:58pm IST
New Delhi: Government on Tuesday removed Chief of top defence research organisation Avinash Chander, 15 months before his contract was to end. The Appointments Committee of Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi “approved the termination” of the contract of Avinash Chander with effect from January 31, an official notification said.
Interestingly, Chander who was Secretary, Defence Research and Development cum Director General, DRDO and Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister, had retired on November 30 last on attaining 64 years of age and he was given a contract for 18 months till May 31, 2016.
The removal of Chander after being given a contract raises questions over the Government action. Analysts believe that the action could have been taken against the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s comment that the ‘laid back’ attitude in the DRDO will not be tolerated during a visit last year.
Efforts to contact Chander did not fructify as he did not answer the calls made on his phone. Chander joined DRDO in 1972 after completing graduation in Electrical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi. Chander is the chief architect of Agni series of ballistic missile systems.
Development of Agni range of missiles under a highly- restrictive international control regimes was possible only out of his technology forecast, perspective planning and relentless efforts, DRDO officials said.
As per the reply in Parliament ( LOK SABHA) against UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 596, ANSWERED ON 09.12.2013, the total 487 scientists left from DRDO from 2008 to 30th November 2013. Scientist B- 289, Scientist C- 152, Scientist D – 26, Scientist E- 13, Scientist F – 7.
Why they left – Financial reasons – very few, most young scientists join this great premier scientific organization with great enthusiasm that they will contribute their best to serve the nation, but unfortunately they encounter incompetent, greedy, bosses who got these higher posts on the basis of flattering/corruption /nepotism.
Examples are numerous but this is one real reason “I grew up in a small town called ———— and my father works for ——. All my childhood I spent in scientific community and I dreamt of becoming a scientist one day. I did that and I ignored offers from private sector and Joined DRDO.
The establishment that I joined promised me excellent work in my field of analysis and designing. At 21, I joined and things of course were very indifferent to what I dreamt of.
We had bureaucracy and people were not happy. The organization was something like a hierarchy controlled rather than intellectual oriented. I had an excellent team and my STA’s are one of the best. People never cared to harness their potential. Have no idea why.
Most of the works that we were supposed to do were outsourced; this is one thing that I fought with everybody. I did not want to work for my salary; I wanted to work for pleasure.
Finally, my team was able to deliver some engineering marvels that my superiors said it was impossible to do. My growing frustration with outsourcing was a big issue for me. A single step ahead in the project is like fighting with in.
After 5 years of service, I came to US to pursue my further studies.”
The absolute power to Lab Directors is also a big reason to derail the organizations.
The training of young scientist started with collecting quotations, making specifications, filing indents of not required instruments & items on direction of their bosses to get good APAR and promotions. If the scientist not compromise with his integrity for helping out the corruption of his bosses and Director, then immediately his harassment started by all means including transfers.
One scientist from GTRE, Bangalore genuinely approached the Director for his transfer but the egoist Director after receiving transfer order from DRDO Hqrs told him “ I will see who is going to relieve you if you pressurized me. Your dead body only can only be relieved” It is not a joke and this is the real scenario of DRDO.
The individual ask transfer without having GOD father in DRDO always get same treatment, his carrier start spoiling by Lab Directors, if Lab Directors is annoyed with any individual of lab means he will going to face social boycott by whole lab because one try to help him means he will also come under threat zone. Targeted individual start facing each and every step of his day to day work like NO TD, No support for project work, no recommendation for good work, APAR/ACR dropped to average and many more obstacles are common.
If Lab Director sniff that the individual is watching corruption or raising voice for that, it means that that individual is now going to get a kick without following the rules to remotest area with instruction that make sure that this man does not get peace at all.
DRDO has an unwritten thumb rule that when any Lab Director is not happy with any individual it means that he must be transferred to other destination without justifying the reason and the best part of this is that entire DRDO HQRS backsthat egoist corrupt director. This has resulted in the DRDO we know today.
All 25 questions raised by the Cabinet/PMO / Parliament Committee are really the honest approach to make DRDO a productive organization. DRDO is wasting more than two lakh crores worth of infrastructure without any mentionable output. DRDO should accept Genral Mallik’s comment after KARGIL WAR “casualties in the conflict could have been reduced had the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) not come in the way.”
Unfortunately, DRDO still does not understand the importance of the country’s needs. It still wastes money on SDR type of technologies, which already exist, and DRDO is ready to give second extension for PDC, like Sh R C Agarwal, who got a second extension without output.
It is requested DRDO Hqrs now Modi Ji giving full opportunity to save and grow DRDO in real means, अब तो जागो औरभ्रष्टाचार, भाई भतीजावाद, अयोग्य लोगो को आगे बढ़ाने का कार्य बंद करो। देश के विकास की और देखो। जय हिन्द
DR Gausal Khan’s, DIPAS representation also throws light of DRDO culture please go through the following pages.
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Appeal to clean DRDO of corrupt and anti-national officials
