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Destroy DRDO Institutions, Get Rewarded

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An open letter to Mr PK ,Chattopadhyaya RDE(E)

By

Rajendra Kale

Dear Mr Chattopadhyaya

Friends broke the wonderful news that you are back in your office a day after your retirement. I thought I must personally congratulate you.

Among the top management comprising officers who have gallantly delayed even the Golden Jubilee Monument Project of R&DE(E) by six years, you have achieved the unique distinction of successfully destroying a full Institution that was created by DRDO through some of us to bring in an element of accountability of Contracting processes in the Lab.

PDOC was DRDO’s response to the CAG audit report, CA No. 16 of 2012-2013 (Defence Services) that had detected 94% failures in R&DE(E)’s projects in 15 years and lamented that the Lab “did not even have a  reliable database of the projects undertaken”. The Report further said, there was no mechanism in place to assess the “accountability of personnel towards success or failure of the projects”, implying that recommendations for promotions were based on dubious considerations.

PDOC had brought in the long-awaited order. A small team in a short time created an ISO-compliant IT-enabled database from whatever project documents it could lay its hands on. This wasn’t easy given that each project group was treated like an independent kingdom by their directors and they guarded their dark secrets jealousy. But the real skeletons began tumbling out when PDOC scrutinized the contract documents. This is where, you, at the helm of the ISO compliance, came to rescue of the culture of great Indian corruption which holds us from what it takes to become a developed nation. I am sure Mr Parlikar, the lab director, also deserves a lot of compliments for your reappointment.

Best warm wishes

Rajendra

Drdo

Parrikar protects whistleblower and takes action against his DRDO harassers

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By Pradip R Sagar | Express News Service Published: 30th May 2016
Manohar-Parrikar
NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has been in South Block for just 18 months, but the 61-year-old has taken several strong measures. In a recent order with a far-reaching impact, Parrikar has not only given protection to a whistleblower, but has also ordered action against officials harassing him.

Prakash Singh, a 53-year-old Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) official, was sacked on the grounds that he was a “perpetual troublemaker”. In reality, Singh had blown the lid off alleged financial irregularities and malpractices in recruitment procedures in the country’s premier defence research agency.

As his series of complaints led to unease, he was sent on compulsory retirement in 2012.
ParrikarDespite complaining to then defence minister A K Antony, nothing was done. Last year, Singh apprised Parrikar of the root cause of his harassment and held 22 DRDO officials responsible for his persecution. Parrikar then ordered quashing of charges against Singh and action against the officials.
“The case has been examined in the light of advice of CVC (Central Vigilance Commission) and after detailed deliberations, the competent authority has ordered quashing of the charges framed against Prakash Singh,” says a Ministry of Defence order. “Those who trumped up false charges and committed a number of procedural irregularities with the single-minded objective of harassing Prakash Singh need to be identified and taken to task for their malafide action.”

Singh’s complaints of corruption in the agency and 10 DRDO scientists recruiting their family members in the organisation by flouting all norms is being investigated by the CBI.

Prakash Singh’s complaints to CBI, CVC

Laser Science & Technology Centre (LASTEC) failed to utilise the pressure recovery system (PRS), a hi-tech equipment imported from Russia for Rs 16.58 crore. Singh alleged that the equipment was burnt in a “mysterious” fire, but DRDO said that the project was successful.

Highlighted nepotism in DRDO recruitment by senior scientists who “recruited their family members by flouting rules”. During a CBI probe, two scientists were asked to leave on the same grounds

Drdo

Agni 5, India’s Longest Range Ballistic Missile, Successfully Test-Fired – NDTV

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NEW DELHI: India today successfully test-launched Agni-5, its longest range ballistic missile, for the third time off the Odisha coast. The missile was launched from a canister from Wheeler Island, giving it higher road mobility.

The three stage, solid propellant “missile was test-fired from a mobile launcher from the launch complex-4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at about 8.06 hours,” ITR Director M V K V Prasad said.

“The missile, witnessed a flawless ‘auto launch’ and detailed results will be known after all data retrieved from different radars and network systems,” he added.

With a range of 5000 km, the nuclear-capable missile can carry a warhead in the east as far as all of China and in the west all over Europe.

The three-stage missile is about 17 metres long and weighs 50 tons. The first rocket engine takes it to a height of about 40 kilometres. The second stage pushes it to about 150 kilometres. The third stage takes it to about 300 kilometres above the Earth. And the missile finally reaches a height of about 800 kilometres.
The missile travels faster than a bullet and can carry 1000 kilogram of nuclear weapon. It can be launched only on direct orders from the Prime Minister; India hopes it turns out to be a weapon of peace not war.

Unlike other missiles of Agni series, the latest one ‘AGNI-5’, is most advanced having some new technologies incorporated with it in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine, Mr Prasad said.

India carried out two successful tests of the basic version of Agni-5 in 2012 and 2013.

The development of Agni-5 began in 2009 and according to DRDO it will likely be inducted in 2015.

Agni-5 gives India the ability to launch nuclear weapons from land at will from anywhere in India. It will give India the ability to hit back or have second-strike capability even after a nuclear strike.

It was also a super charged farewell gift for DRDO chief Avinash Chander who retires today. India’s Integrated Missile Programme has been a resounding success with the Agni missiles giving the country a credible nuclear deterrence. As a scientist and team leader, Dr Avinash Chander has achieved significant success in his work.

 

 

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MEET THE SYCOPHANTOSAURUS

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Bikram Vohra -Dec 02 2014 : The Times of India (Delhi)
Sycophancy actually has classic Greek antecedents which makes sense because it is a classic act. The first sycophants were those who reported to the courts in ancient Greece about who was doing what to whom largely without proof… nothing much has changed since then and our army of lick spittle and belly crawlers have refined it to a science and an art.
In fact, with this capability being of the essence for survival it is pretty much on the cards that one day very soon it will be a post graduate course in a good university . You see, sycophancy or toadying up to the boss is a highly functional option to hard work and industry because bosses love it. Endless flattery to keep the ego swollen, gales of laughter to accompany frightful jokes, sprays of praise drenching the CEO, the more blatant the better. Even the bosses who pretend to have the intellect to ‘see through it’ enjoy the fantail of fawning Uriah Heeps who act as a backdrop for them. And it is not just about politicians, it is across the board.

Having done much research on this cadre and the potential it has for success, promotion and tangible perks I have divided the tribe into five categories which you may recognise or actually belong to without realising it.

THE OFFICE BUTT KISSER

He is unctuous, cloying in his shameless praise of the superior’s ideas, always grovelling and nodding his head in premature agreement, willingly rendering space, scuttling about doing the big man’s bidding, and bowing and scraping like a windshield wiper, all of it wrapped up in servile body language and that throat catching gasp of awe in his voice: sshh, the CEO is on his way . Like Thor was coming down from Olympus.

THE GREAT POLITICIAN AND PRETENDER

He spends his life networking and, like a crazed bee, flitting from flower to flower picking up pollen laced with malice.Dangerous to those who cross him his only aim is to have the chief ‘s ear and retain it.This he manages by snitching, sneaking, backstabbing and other such genial exercises camouflaged with a thin patina of friendliness as he shoves the knife in. For some reason the top bosses depend on him for the dirt that shores up their inherent insecurity so he becomes indispensable.

THE ERRAND BOY

He manipulates the boss through the family. Sir I brought five kilos of rice from our own farm. Pedas from Mathura. Fresh gur from his uncle’s factory.

Does madam’s shop ping. Takes the kids for tennis. Drops visiting relatives to the airport, takes them sightseeing. Fetch and carry , a sort of ADC cum flunky who then wins back favours by making the cut every time there is the 5 o’clock HR letter moment.He is just too vital to the boss’s comfort zone to be sacked.Ergo, he crawls up the ladder.

THE UNTIRING OVER WORKER

This is the cleverest guy of the lot. He creates this great charade doing nothing. Comes early , goes late, attends office on Sundays and holidays, makes sure the boss does see him grinding away , writes copycat reports, creates power points and spiral bound idiot scenarios with equal dexterity to show he is a company man but the moment there is real tasking he falls sick or passes the hot little buck down the line.

THE PROFESSIONAL APPLE POLISHER

Slick as hair gel. Smart but lazy , he uses guile and style and smoke and mirrors to conceal his major flaw….complete lack of talent. Dresses like the boss, takes up golf if the chief plays golf, bridge if that’s his game, learns to lose deliberately , goes to the right places, power dresses, acts and plays the role and becomes a sort of dressed-up lackey whose presence pleases the top guy .

Until the falling at your feet, Sir, is just his way of pulling the rug because you have outlived your usefulness and there is a new boss on the way .Then our friend will be at the airport with a bouquet to receive him.

TIME TO TACKLE THE GREAT INDIAN CHAMCHA

Ever encountered The Great Indian Chamcha? His greasy tentacles are spread across all strata of public life. We see him most often in politics, lauding the unimaginable, flattering for favour, defying self-respect and logic. In offices, he will invariably be the one singing a boss’s praises and ending sentences with “sir jee“.So set your wits at work and tell us about your encounter with the chamcha. Upload funny photos, videos, cartoons, jokes and any other rib-tickling material around the chamcha on facebook.com Great Indian Circus or twitter.com The Great Indian using the hashtag #TheGreatIndianChamcha.

The best, funniest entries will get a chance to feature in The Times of India and will also stand a chance to win exciting prizes. So, what are you waiting for sir jee?

Drdo

How missiles get their names

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(Agni III missile launched from Bhubaneswar in May. (AFP Photo)

 

BANGALORE: How do you name a missile? Or a tank? Or an aircraft for that matter? If you thought Agni, Prithvi and Akash were random names scientists just came up with, you couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Developing missile technology is hard work, and for scientists, their baby. Research keeps them up long hours, away from family and friends and it is but natural that great deliberation takes place before christening these babies.

 

Sanskrit names are always given preference. Scientists believe such names are powerful. All names are, in one way or the other, connected to the function of the missile, aircraft or tank.

Take for instance Agni, the intermediate range ballistic missile. The fire or the energy needed for propulsion is what gave the missile its name.

Explaining the naming procedure, W Selvamurthy, chief controller of life sciences and human resources at Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) said missiles and other products developed by the labs are given names that have a “functional meaning and/or a scientific rationale”.

The director of each project, along with the team, proposes a few names that they think would be appropriate. The proposals go to the chief controller of the lab which is working on the project and the final name is decided keeping in mind the functions of the final product.