Govt picks new DRDO chief, scientific advisor to defence minister

Read here for complete profiles of S Christopher and G Satheesh Reddy

“The appointments committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Dr S Christopher, distinguished scientist & programme director (Air-borne Early Warning & Control Systems) and director, Centre for Air-borne Systems, DRDO, as Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development-cum-Director General, Defence Research and Development Organisation for a period of two years from the date of taking over charge,” said a DoPT order.

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The committee “has approved the appointment of Dr G S Reddy, distinguished scientist and director, Research Centre Imarat & programme director, MRSAM (Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile), DRDO, as scientific advisor to Raksha Mantri for a period of two years from taking over the charge,” said another.

The appointments were spearheaded by a high-level committee appointed by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

According to sources, the committee was considering four names for the post of DRDO chief. The other two names were — Anil Datar, 59, presently Director General, Armament and Combat Engineering (ACE) cluster and Satish Kumar, 58, presently Chief Controller, Research and Development at DRDO headquarters, Delhi.

In Reddy, the government has appointed a young scientist from among those under consideration. Parrikar had, after sacking Avinash Chander, said that younger scientists need to be at the helm of affairs in DRDO.  The Prime Minister too had called for a need to have younger scientists to head the organisation.

DRDO has been functioning without a full-time head since January 31, when Avinash Chander resigned. Defence Secretary R K Mathur was given the additional charge as the Secretary, DRDO with effect from January 31. He retired on May 24. The appointment will make way for crucial decisions that have been suffering in the absence of a full time head. As reported earlier, at least six major projects were stuck due to lack of decision-making in DRDO over the past three months.