Tag Archives: scientific advisor

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Race for next DRDO chief heats up, incumbent eyes extension

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By Pradip R Sagar May 02, 2018 18:29 IST  – THE WEEK

DRDO chief S. Christopher (left) with Arun Jaitley, during his brief tenure as defence minister in 2017 | Facebook account of DRDO

With the tenure of S. Christopher, current chief of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), coming to an end later this month, the race for the top post in the country’s premier defence research organisation has begun. Christopher, who was given a one-year extension at the last moment in May 2017, though, is also eyeing another extension. But whether he will be second time lucky is unclear.

Hectic parleys have begun for the coveted post. The key players who are in the race to lead the DRDO include Sudhir Mishra, director general of BrahMos missile system division, and G. Satheesh Reddy, who is presently serving as director general (Missiles & Strategic Systems) and scientific advisor to the defence minister. Besides Mishra and Reddy, P.K. Mehta, who is currently heading the office of the director general of armament and combat engineering systems, is considered to be in the race to head DRDO, which has an annual budget of nearly Rs 20,000 crore.

According to sources in South Block, Reddy is the senior-most scientist in the organisation after Christopher. His name figured prominently last year also, but Christopher managed to get an extension at the last minute, meaning Reddy would need to wait for a year. Former defence minister Manohar Parrikar had bifurcated the post of DRDO chief and scientific advisor to the defence minister, which earlier used to be occupied by one person. Christopher is completing his tenure on May 29.

Mishra, head of BrahMos missile system division—a joint venture between India and Russia— is also among candidates vying for the top post in DRDO.

Mehta, who is heading the Pune-based cluster of armament and combat engineering systems, can be a dark horse in the race due to his proximity with top BJP leaders, sources claimed.

Christopher, who took over as the head of DRDO in May 2015, did his best to impress Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman by showcasing the work done under his leadership towards self-reliance in the recently concluded DefExpo in Chennai. A special pavilion under the ‘Make in India’ theme was inaugurated by Modi, in which all major equipment designed and developed by DRDO were showcased. Last year, Christopher had directed all the labs to remove his photographs, just two weeks before he was to retire. But only at the last minute, he was given extension for a year by the government.

DRDO has often been criticised for delayed projects, as most of its ventures, ranging from the Tejas light combat aircraft to long-range surface-to-air missile systems, have been repeatedly missing deadlines, with huge cost overruns. In the absence of self-reliance in defence, the Indian armed forces continue to be heavily dependent on imports. India continues to top the list of global importers of military hardware, with over 70 per cent of armed forces’ requirements being met by foreign firms. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his first interaction with DRDO scientists in 2014 had sent a stern message to the defence research agency against their ‘chalta hai’ attitude.

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DRDO’s cruise missile project Nirbhay on verge of closure

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Nirbhay is the country’s first indigenously built long-range sub-sonic cruise missile | EPS

By Hemant Kumar Rout | Express News Service | Published: 23rd December 2016
BHUBANESWAR: Once a pride for Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), India’s own cruise missile project Nirbhay is on the verge of closure.
A highly placed source told ‘The New Indian Express’ that the project is likely to be closed as the missile has failed to deliver desired results even 12 years after the project was launched. A review of the project will be conducted shortly.
Nirbhay is the country’s first indigenously built long-range sub-sonic cruise missile which can be compared with America’s Tomahawk in terms of its capability. Designed by Bengaluru-based Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), the missile was designed to fly at different altitudes ranging from 500 meters to four km.
Launched in 2004 at a cost of Rs 48 crore, the projected date of completion (PDC) for the prestigious project was December 31, 2016. However, under trial since 2013, the missile is yet to perform as expected after four attempts in the last four years.
The project has been plagued with difficulties as the scientists are still struggling to fix the problems in the flight control software and navigation system while some others point fingers at the hardware.
While the Research Centre Imarat (RCI) blamed ADE-developed software, ADE was pointing towards the defective hardware supplied by RCI. “However, it could not be ascertained which is defective, whether the software or hardware, but Nirbhay missile failed in its fourth attempt,” an insider said.
There has been problem with the control software since beginning. The RCI had developed navigational hardware for their applications and it was adopted by ADE for Nirbhay. There are always differences between ADE and RCI regarding its functional efficacy, the source claimed.
Defence experts have raised questions on the requirement of such a subsonic missile, which can cruise at a speed of 0.8 Mach, when supersonic cruise missile BrahMos, developed jointly with Russia, is already inducted in the armed forces.
BrahMos, which flies at a speed of Mach 3, has a strike range of 290 km. Though Nirbhay can strike targets 1,000 km away, with India joining the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), it can now develop long range cruise missiles as joint ventures.
While initially the expected cost of ‘Nirbhay’ was around Rs 10 crore per piece, DRDO has so far spent more than Rs 100 crore on R&D and trials.
DRDO Chief Selvin Christopher and Project Director of Nirbhay Vasanth Sastri did not respond to the calls and queries from ‘The New Indian Express’. Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister G Satheesh Reddy, however, said he is unaware of any such move.                           

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DRDO goes young with Modi

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By Pradip R Sagar
Published: 02 Oct 2016 The Sunday Standard

Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI: In order to weed out the dead woods, country’s premier defence research agency Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), which is often faced criticism for its tardy performance, is looking for young scientist to head one of its laboratory. It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s advise to DRDO to hire young scientists, not over the age of 35 years to head at least five laboratories of defence research agency.

Following PM’s advise, Uttarakhand based Defence Institute of Bio-energy Research (DIBER), which is engaged in research in the first of bio energy and non conventional energy for defence use, has invited applications from candidates before the age of 35 years to head the lab. Officials claim this is the first step in the chain of events to give important role to young scientists, as Modi government has already banned giving extensions to scientists who have completed their tenure. It is notable that till two years back, DRDO’s top 15 scientists were on extension of service.
drdo-logoPM Modi in his first interaction with DRDO scientists had sent a stern message to defence research agency for their ‘chalta hai’ attitude, as most of DRDO projects, ranging from Tejas light combat aircraft to long-range surface-to-air missile systems have been missing repeated deadlines with huge cost overruns.
But sources in the agency said, appointing youch scientists to head laboratories may not go down well with senior scientists working with defence research.

But, officials said that hiring of Director of lab below the age of 35 years will send message to everyone working in DRDO to deliver. Modi has last year short listed Satish Reddy, the youngest ever scientific advisor to the defence minsitry.

“Certainly it’s an effort to get rid of non-performing scientists. Merely age seniority will not matter. If India wants to be a superpower, our defence research has to be cutting edge. India remains to be top buyer of military hardware globally with nearly 70 per cent defence requirements meet by imports,” said an officer. It is the successful government’s failure to build a strong domestic defence industrial base due to sluggish performance of 52 DRDO laboratories, five defence PSUs , four shipyards and 39 Ordnance factories.diber-director

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50% of Rafale deal value will be invested in India: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar

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By MEERA MOHANTY & Manu Pubby, ET Bureau | 11 May, 2015, 07.04AM IST

NEW DELHI: Terrorists, irrespective of wherever they may be operating from, should be neutralised using all types of methods, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar told ET in an exclusive interview. He elaborated that “neutralisation” doesn’t necessarily mean killing terrorists but making them “ineffective.”

Parrikar also criticised ex-BJP minister Arun Shourie, saying the latter “does not have the full brief on what is happening”. Shourie had recently said the Narendra Modi government was faltering on policymaking and delivery.

Responding to a question on how India should deal with terrorists in foreign territory, the defence minister said: “A terrorist has to be neutralised-…Certain issues cannot be discussed but I feel that for any enemy of the country, all types of methods should be used to neutralise them.”

“Neutralising does not mean just killing…it means any method that makes them non-functional – get him to jail or to make him ineffective in any manner,” Parrikar added.

In his wide-ranging interaction with ET covering several key policy areas, Parrikar also set out the exact figure on India’s manufacturing share of the Rafale fighter jet project – France will need to spend 50% of the contract value, almost four billion dollars, as investments in the Indian defence and aerospace sector. The minister said the Rafale jet project will “unleash Make-in- India”.

Parrikar also said that with India buying around 36 Rafale jets for now, government savings on this project is likely to be up Rs 60,000-65,000 crore. This money, Parrikar said, will be used to accelerate defence manufacturing in India, including speeding up the long-ingestation Light Combat Aircraft. The minister said LCA will be inducted in large numbers, up to 200 fighters or 10 squadrons.
Parrikar linked low levels infiltration from Pakistan and fewer incidents of cross-border firing this year to Indian forces’ strong retaliation to “misadventures”.

Acknowledging that defence forces face an issue on resources, the minister said all three wings, army, air force and navy, must prioritise spending. All three wings have been asked to make a list of must-have items, Parrikar said. He said Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) would have a new head by May 24.

DRDO will also have a separate Scientific Advisor, who will be attached to the ministry for independent advice. Parrikar said for important projects he will form consortiums of all stakeholders from the government system, it won’t be just DRDO taking all the critical decisions.​If the army has to operate in the Jammu & Kashmir, it needs AFSPA: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar

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Parrikar to separate roles of DRDO chief and scientific advisor

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Shishir Gupta, Hindustan Times, New Delhi| Updated: Mar 21, 2015 00:53 IST
Defence minister Manohar Parrikar has decided to bifurcate the job of secretary (Defence Research and Development Organisation) and scientific advisor (SA) to the minister with the latter now expected to oversee research and development and push the DRDO to a world class level for military technologies.ht parrikarFormer DRDO secretary Chander, who 11th SA to the Raksha Mantri, demitted office on January 31, 2015. South Block sources said while Parrikar has short-listed a panel of around eight young defence scientists for the DRDO job, he plans to bring in an advisor who will be tasked to advise him on the technological and hardware requirements of the armed forces as well as to help enhance technologies for the DRDO laboratories.

“How can SA to RM and DRDO chief be the same person? The job of the former was to keep an eye on the latter working. This is perhaps why the DRDO has lagged behind in developing world class defence technologies and all its major programmes are behind schedule,” said a senior official.

While Parrikar is currently informally advised by retired military officials on requirements of the armed forces, the 12th SA is expected to review the working of the DRDO and fix accountability and time-lines on development of critical technologies. The next DRDO chief will be one of the defence ministry secretaries with three other secretaries as his colleagues.

With PM Narendra Modi’s Make in India centred around defence technologies, future focus will be on DRDO labs developing exportable technologies for hardware production by defence public sector undertaking and Indian companies in joint venture with global defence contractors.

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Agni 5 Launch ‘Best Farewell Gift’, Outgoing DRDO Chief Avinash Chander Tells NDTV

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WHEELER ISLAND: Speaking from Wheeler Island to NDTV after the successful launch of Agni 5, the outgoing Director General of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Avinash Chander assured the country that the missile was now in a “deliverable configuration”.

On his last day in office, he said he was feeling “elated and happy on this accomplishment”.

“I am going, leaving behind a dynamic young team that can lead India to greater heights. India will now be autonomous in missile capability,” said Dr Chander.
On a poignant note he said, “This was a great event and I could not have asked for a better farewell gift from my team which has worked hard to make India a missile superpower.”

Explaining the technicalities of the launch, Dr Chander, who is also the scientific advisor to the Defence Ministry said, “The missile lifted off 20 metres above the ground from the canister then took a sharp turn towards the target and all the events went off like clockwork. Two ships monitored the event in the Indian Ocean and the terminal event which was validated and it hit within metres of the target.”

Dr Chander’s contract ends on today – January 31, 2015. He had joined the organisation in 1972.

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DRDO chief invokes Vedas to explain intel importance

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Written by Vijaita Singh | New Delhi | Posted: December 24, 2014 2:19 am

Indian Express

The country’s scientist and DRDO chief Avinash Chander on Tuesday invoked mythology to explain the importance of intelligence network, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi cited Karna’s birth in Mahabharata to suggest “genetic science” existed in India even in ancient times.

Chander, the man behind the Agni series missiles, while addressing the Intelligence Bureau sleuths said “information gathering and intelligence have been emphasised even in Vedas and Puranas”, and invoked “Rig Veda and Atharva Veda” to send across his point that intelligence gathering had to be abreast with technology.

NSA Ajit Doval, new IB chief Dineshwar Sharma and outgoing IB chief Syed Asif Ibrahim were present on the dais when the DRDO chief addressed the function.

Delivering the 27th Intelligence Bureau Centenary Endowment Lecture, Chander, who is also the scientific advisor to the Defence Minister, said, “Information gathering and intelligence have been emphasised even in Vedas and Puranas. We find the invocations in Rig Veda and Atharva Veda, where it talks how the spies of Agni came down from the sky with thousands of eyes. The son of Brahaspati, teacher of gods, Kaccha was sent as a spy to Sukracharya to know the Sanjeevani mantra as explained in Mathsyapurana.” His term expired on December 1, but he was retained for two more years by the NDA government to head the post.

Chander, a IIT graduate, said, “In Sabhaparvam of Mahabharata ‘Lokapala Sabhakhayana Parva’ explains the importance of information gathering, establishing the spy network and related instrumentation in connection with the armed forces.”

To make his point, Chander said, “Arthashastra by Kautilya defines it as an integral part of court craft. The first of two chapters on establishing an intelligence system explain five kinds of spies for gathering internal intelligence.”

Comments 

c.r.panicker • 2 hours ago

Bhagavat Gita advises three courses of action (1) Gyana Yoga (2) Karma Yoga and (3) Bhakti Yoga. Before doing something, acquire complete of the situation, then create a fool proof plan of action and act with all resources to tackle the situation. You will then succeed in your operation. In this sense what is wrong in quoting puranas and scriptures. There is nothing which need hurt the sentiments of non-Hindus

RCA • 4 hours ago

Please don’t refer to Vedas as mythology. That was the terminology of the British Raj, which referred to Christian holy book as scripture, but Hindu holy books as mythology (i.e a myth, or something that is not correct). Its time to fix this wrong terminology.

Sai bhargavs • 5 hours ago

its not mythology

SacchaDesi • 11 hours ago

Nowadays everyone has to quote from Vedas to keep their job. DRDO has been among worst performing indian organisation. May be this explains why.

sk • 14 hours ago

Bad mentality of media and psuedo secularists. The top Scientists world over quote Veda/Upanishads/Advaita all the time and they will be quoted much more in coming times as can be seen by new physicists openly adopting yoga/meditation path, like John Hagelin (Harvard/Stanford/CERN trained Quantum Physicist or his senior in that field like Schrodinger, Neils Bohr or even people like Peter Russell), the whole world invokes Veda/Upanishads more than Indians, Indians hardly discuss Upanishads/Advaita, Indians discuss bollywood, hollywood or other such stupid stuff more.

Intelligent people are becoming more and more truthful and so they do not care about saying whatever is truth, Vedas/Upanishads/Advaita/Patanjali/Yoga/Meditation are the firstto give basic truth about reality and consciousness, this recognition will only increase not decrease because it is truth. Also, these people gave these ideas in remarkably humble/detached ways with amazing simplicity so when an intelligent mind reads Upanishads/Advaita, there is little chance to not to be impressed by those ideas.

guest • 14 hours ago

The Vedas aren’t mythology, the Mahabharat and the Ramayana are.

Hegelman • 19 hours ago

This is a major violation of secularism and our constitution. The Hindutva Brigade is getting out of control. Hindu right wing outfits are quoting Hindu scriptures and mythology.

It is time for the Secular Brigade to swing into action. Secular leftwing organisations – not outfits – should answer back by citing Christian and Muslim historical facts.

Hegelman • 19 hours ago

How can this be allowed in India? No one in India must cite Hindu scriptures or mythology. This is a secular land, and such actions violate our constitution.

jois • 19 hours ago

very nice explanation from scientist. what is the problem? we are proud to be Indian

Davinder Prasad • 19 hours ago

Outgoing Chief Mr Saye Asif Ibrahim must have been amused at this silly comment from the incoming Mr Avinash Chander. May Lord God help Mr Chand to think straight, he has responsibility for the whole nation.

SK tyagi • 20 hours ago

Well our vedas are full of all info needed by us

Devil • 21 hours ago

What is wrong if an accomplished Scientist Mr Chander is illustrating a point by invoking puranas or vedas. In west, people cite greek mythology, bible etc extensively to make points. Its only some of de-racinated Indians who are shameful of our heritage & culture and always trying to ape west. If Mr. Chander would have illustrate the same point invoking bible or greek mythology or sun tzu, he wouldn’t have raised any hackles. Shame on such deracinated Indians.

Katewal  Devil • 10 hours ago

Well said.

Mahalakshmi Iyer  Devil • 12 hours ago

First of all you should know the difference between mythology and philosophy.

Philosophy and mythology have nothing in common. Mythology belongs to the religious domain, it is religion explained in stories. Myths are passed down one generation to the next, and they belong to a specific culture.

Philosophy, on the other hand, belongs more to the scientific domain. It is the work of one man, or a series of men, as they sit down to think about the origin of the universe, the purpose of life and so on. Most philosophy has nothing to do with religion, and it can explain the world without superhuman figures.

Devils will always flock together to justify their baseless arguments.

Davinder Prasad  Devil • 19 hours ago

This is an equally silly comment, I am sorry to say. Being Hindu does not mean that you have to agree with every nonsense, I am saying this as a Hindu.

harsh baniya • a day ago

Anything wrong about that Indian Express? Don’t be so pathetic please.

harsh baniya • a day ago

So whats wrong in it …. ???? And btw Mahabharata is not mythology …. Foreign funded paid historians has termed it so

Ramesh Sharma • a day ago

He should have cited the relevant Vedic and Puranic sutras. Otherwise how can we verify his remarks? DRDO has grossly under performed given the resources at its command.

SC  Ramesh Sharma • 2 hours ago

Have you ever gone through Vedic or puranic literature? Had you studied you would not have raised this query.

Mahalakshmi Iyer • a day ago

How long are we going to talk science on the basis of mythology? No wonder we are no where near China in Science & Technology even after 62 years of independence.

We must understand Scientific temper is different from mythological temper. Our defense and space programmes should be based on Scientific innovations and not on mythological farts.

kyafarakpadtakounhai  Mahalakshmi Iyer • 14 hours ago

China followed the vedas and purana’s way before we did, all the technology in china has been spied and taken from the US and Europe, right from esculators, trains to their spaceship. What did china do on its own?

When a drone crashed in Iran, the Chinese were there even before US knew about the whereabouts of the Drone.

Even if it is Mythology, it has been conceived through experience.

In few centuries the atomic bomb and Einstein will also become Mythology.

Life on earth happens in cycles, if we are able to make the nuclear bomb, Bramha Astra must have been invented during the mythological times,

We have planes they have Pushpak Viman.

We have televisions they had Divya Dhristi.

The mantras are forumlas and proceedures to manufacture something.

We never believe in what we have at home, it is always bullshit, always things

outside our home look beautiful. The day we believe what we have is the day

when India will Surpass all other countries.

Bharani Komandur  Mahalakshmi Iyer • 20 hours ago

Why do we keep calling Mahabharata and Ramayana as “Mythology” and not “History”. Why are Hindus so ashamed of their History? Also, DRDO can accomplish a lot, if there is political will. Our politicians want to keep “buying” technology, so that their Swiss Banks accounts can be filled. That is the problem. In China, the punishment for Corruption is Death Sentence, and they do Execute them. In India, we Celebrate corruption. That is the problem. I am sure, if he had cited Bible or Quran, we “The Secular Hindus” would have applauded.

anonymous • a day ago

Tell me why aristotles poetics is taught in MA (English) even today. the same should be true for indian scriptures. what is all this debale about.

Arjun Narayanan • a day ago

Communal remarks! How dare he even think of Hindu scriptures in a secular country. Shall we start a twitter trend to protest this? At least a one hour discussion on News Hour should happen right?

DG1 • a day ago

DRDO chief has gone nuts. If he really was a student of Vedas then the moribund organization that he heads would not be as pathetic as it is, given the funds and resourced poured into it to come up with something worthwhile and original.

Bharani Komandur  DG1 • 20 hours ago

Please do not blame the DRDO. Do you really think that India can get to Mars, but cannot make a combat aircraft? Seriously? Politicians do not want the DRDO to make combat aircrafts or any high tech weapons. They want them to be “Imported only”, so that in those shady deals, their Bank Accounts in Switzerland and Mauritius can get filled.

LalaLajpatRai • a day ago

It is 100% true that several ancient texts talk about intelligence gathering though I differ with Avinash on his understanding of Rg Vedic texts. Instead of just quoting and claiming that we had all these before, it would have been useful if Avinash had really figured out what exactly we could use out of them in modern day context. Otherwise it is an empty useless talk.

sks  LalaLajpatRai • 18 hours ago

what u can use from it is them importance of intel gathering. That’s what the poor fellow emphasized. Now what technology was used may or may not be relevant for today hence he didnt go in that direction.

Sachi Mohanty • a day ago

All the nincompoops are coming out of the woodwork. Or, may be, this shows how technical education does not ‘teach’ rational thinking.

Gwen Stacy • a day ago

Why do you have problem with scientist stating some fact? There are verifiable . All you need is to roll your finger on internet online translation of Vedas .

Indian First • a day ago

Nice going…great future for this guy.

sishtla • a day ago

What is your problems if certain facts are told in the interest of nation to assist in intelligence gathering.Do the writer wants some other religious text to show his secular credentials.If the trend continues the news paper will have to close its publication.

MKRao • a day ago

I am shocked to see but it almost seems like talking anything that is related to Hinduism in India has become an unpardonable sin these!!! Why are we are becoming so intolerable towards Hinduism?!!! Why nobody talks of religions which are only turning a normal humans into perverts, psychopaths and subhumans?!!!! When the source of all religions were meant to be for betterment of Humanity?!!!!

Prabakar • a day ago

Excellent

Mohanlal Com • a day ago

Absolutely true! All Bharatiyas should be proud of these invaluable sayings and the nation must implement the principles.

Venkat • a day ago

Great though the author seems to be somewhat skeptical. Please read about Mahaperiyavaa to understand everything that we see today our so called new discoveries and inventions already find mention in the Vedas there is nothing new to discover.

anil • a day ago

For idiots, what DRDO chief said is a mythology, but for intelligents, it is history.

Sundara Pandiyan • a day ago

Good to know that our scientists are well-versed in our history and heritage.

  1. Curry • a day ago

May the spies of Jesus, his servant Modi, come down from the sky with thousands of eyes for DRDO chief Avinash Chander. Amen.

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Modi government removes DRDO chief to infuse young talent

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IndiaToday.in  New Delhi, November 28, 2014 | UPDATED 18:31 IST

Projects on unmanned reconnaissance aircraft and combat aircraft are underway, but there is a need to evolve a policy for inclusion of such systems into the armed forces, DRDO Director General Dr. Avinash Chander said.
Projects on unmanned reconnaissance aircraft and combat aircraft are underway, but there is a need to evolve a policy for inclusion of such systems into the armed forces, DRDO Director General Dr. Avinash Chander said.

The Narendra Modi government on Friday sacked Dr Avinash Chander as chief of the prestigious Defence Research and Development Organisation, asking him to retire with immediate effect.

Friday was the last day in office for Dr Chander, India’s senior most missile scientist and scientific advisor to the Defence Minister, who was to serve on extension till the end of 2015.

The government order is said to be in line with the Modi government’s policy to avoid extensions to government scientists in order to encourage a younger and fresher profile in the DRDO and other scientific organisations.

Padma Shri Dr Chander, the man behind Agni missiles, was appointed to the two posts in June last year. His research in innovative energy management guidance system formed the backbone of the
The Narendra Modi government on Friday sacked Dr Avinash Chander as chief of the prestigious Defence Research and Development Organisation, asking him to retire with immediate effect.

Friday was the last day in office for Dr Chander, India’s senior most missile scientist and scientific advisor to the Defence Minister, who was to serve on extension till the end of 2015.

The government order is said to be in line with the Modi government’s policy to avoid extensions to government scientists in order to encourage a younger and fresher profile in the DRDO and other scientific organisations.

Padma Shri Dr Chander, the man behind Agni missiles, was appointed to the two posts in June last year. His research in innovative energy management guidance system formed the backbone of the long-range missile system.

Dr Chander joined the DRDO in 1972 after graduating in Electrical Engineering from IIT-Delhi. He later got his MS in Spatial Information Technology from JNTU, Hyderabad. He is a recipient of numerous awards and honours, including DRDO Scientist of the Year and Agni Self-Reliance Award.

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Former DRDO chief sentenced to 3 weeks in jail

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PTI Chennai, September 26, 2014 Hindustan Times

Former DRDO chief Dr VK Saraswat and another senior scientist were on Thursday sentenced to three weeks simple imprisonment by Madras High Court for committing contempt of court by disobeying its April 2009 order related to re-employment of a clerk in a school run by a wing of the organisation.

Taking a serious view of the non-implementation of its order, a division bench comprising Justice S Rajeswaran and Justice P N Prakash awarded three weeks simple imprisonment to Saraswat and Director of Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory, Dr G Malakondaiah and directed them to pay a fine of Rs. 2,000 each personally.

The court was allowing a contempt of court petition by S Joseph Raj, who was an employee of the school run by Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (CVRDE) at suburban Avadi here. The bench directed the Government to take appropriate departmental action against them for the “reckless, negligence and willful disobedience of the order of the Court”.

The court held Saraswat, a Padmabhushan awardee and former Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister and Director General of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), guilty of Civil Contempt under the contempt of courts Act, 1971. When CVRDE closed the school, he and other employees approached the Central Administrative Tribunal challenging it.

Even after several rounds of litigations before CAT and the High Court and Supreme Court, he was made to suffer, it noted. On April 30, 2009, the High Court directed the two officials to appoint Joseph Jaj as Senior Technical Assistant (Library Science) within a period of two months.

However, the officials on April 13, 2012, passed an order stating that Joseph Raj was not eligible to be considered as Senior Technical Assitant (Library Science) and that he was not a government servant, prompting him to file the present contempt petition.

“We find the above officers were doing everything within their powers to deny a just benefit to Joseph Raj. We are aware that the officers are occupying very high position in the government, but ensconced in a pedestal, their vision became blurred when it came to the travails of an ordinary employee who was suddenly thrown out of employment, for no fault of his,” the judges said.

It said that even during the contempt proceedings, there was no tinge of remorse or an attempt to correct the mistake by the two officials. “Therefore, we propose to impose punishment of sentence of imprisonment on the above officials for their willful disobedience of this court order,” it held.

The court also warned the above officials that it was not an end of the matter and directed them to comply with the order forthwith in the matter of appointment.

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DRDO tests positive for nepotism

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dna 19.02.2014

VK Saraswat and defence minister’s former scientific advisor among accused

Pradip R Sagar @pradiprsagar

New Delhi: At least 10 top scientists of the country’s premier defence research agency, the DRDO, are accused of flouting rules and misusing their positions to recruit family members in the organisation.
Among the accused are M Natarajan, former scientific adviser to defence minister AK Antony and VK Saraswat, India’s Missile Man and former DRDO chief.
Antony was apprised of the matter in November last year
by Sameer Kumar Khare, joint secretary and chief vigilance officer (CVO) in the defence ministry.
Khare, in his report (dna has a copy), recommended “criminal action against top functionaries of DRDO for committing irregularities in the recruitment of officers/officials, including their kith and kin, in DRDO by misusing their position of power”. Based on his report, Antony handed over the investigations to the CBI in November.
Apart from Natarajan and Saraswat, charged with nepotism, the other big names in the CVO’s report are W Selvamurthy, former chief controller, R&D, Arun Kumar, former director, recruitment & assessment centre (RAC), AK Bansal, former director,AK Bansal and SM Veerabhadrappa, senior scientist.
“The brazenness with which systems and procedures have been overridden, it would not be prudent to believe that these are isolated cases,” Khare said in his report.
“The malice may have spread to wider areas hence causing to raise doubts that the integrity of the whole recruitment systems as such might have been compromised. This situation warrants a comprehensive and thorough investigation of the recruitment system, structure and cases of criminal misconducts of similar nature, including the present cases, by the CBI.”
Antony had said in November: “DRDO may be directed to put in place an appropriate recruitment system with adequate checks and balances. They may consider bringing the system under the purview of UPSC.” All recruitments were done through the UPSC till 1982, after which DRDO’s recruitment & assessment centre handled it. The ministry said DRDO could take a professional agency’s help to come up with a foolproof recruitment system.
Ravi Gupta, DRDO spokesperson, told dna that he could not comment as the CBI is investigating the matter.

Published Date: Feb 19, 2014DNA 19 FEB