Missile man Saraswat takes over as DRDO chief

Vijay Kumar Saraswat,a brain behind Indias strategic missile programme,took over as the head of the Defence Research and Development Organisation.

Vijay Kumar Saraswat,a brain behind Indias strategic missile programme,today took over as the head of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Saraswat (60) replaces incumbent M Natarajan,who retired yesterday after 39 years in DRDO.

The missile scientist will be the Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister A K Antony in his role as the DRDO Director General and Secretary of Defence Research and Development Department in the Defence Ministry.

Saraswat,who spearheaded the development of the countrys strategic and tactical missile systems including the Agni series that cover a range of 3,000 km,was till now Chief Controller of Missiles and Strategic Systems in the DRDO.

Among the work he supervised include the new Air Defence System against hostile ballistic missiles,thus making India self-reliant in latest missile technologies.

A Doctorate in Combustion Engineering,Saraswat started his career in DRDO in 1972 at the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) in Hyderabad and was responsible for developing the countrys first liquid propulsion engine.

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