Vijay Kumar Saraswat | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 10th Director General ofDefence research and development organisation | |
| In office 2009-2013 | |
| Preceded by | M Natarajan |
| Succeeded by | Avinash Chander (DRDO) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1949-05-25)25 May 1949 (age 76) |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | FormerChancellor ofJNU |
| Awards | |
Vijay Kumar Saraswat is an Indianscientist who formerly served as the Director General of theDefence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Chief Scientific Advisor to the IndianMinister of Defence.[2] He retired as the Director General of the DRDO on 31 May 2013.[3] Saraswat is presently a member ofNITI Aayog, the Indian Government's apex public policy think tank[4] Saraswat is also a formerChancellor ofJawaharlal Nehru University.[5] and former President ofSree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum.[6]
Saraswat is the key scientist in the development of thePrithvi missile and its induction in theIndian armed forces. He is a recipient of thePadma Shri andPadma Bhushan from theGovernment of India.
Born on 25 May 1949 in Danaoli locality in Gwalior, Saraswat completed hisBachelors in Engineering fromMadhav Institute of Technology and ScienceGwalior, M.P. He earned aMaster of Engineering degree fromIndian Institute of Science (IISc) followed by a Doctorate in Propulsion Engineering fromOsmania University.[7]
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Saraswat is fellow of National Academy of Engineering, Aeronautical Society of India, Astronautical Society of India, and Institution of Engineers. He is a member of governing council of SAMEER and member of Board of Research of AICTE, CSIR labs, and board of studies of Osmania University. He is chairman, Combustion Institute (Indian Section), and Aeronautical Society of India (Hyderabad Branch). Saraswat is a forerunner in the development of number of critical missile technologies that were under denial due to theMissile Technology Control Regime, thus making India self-reliant in Missile Technologies. He has headed various committees ofnational importance.
Saraswat is the recipient ofDRDO Scientist of the Year Award – 1987, National Aeronautical Prize – 1993, DRDO Technology Transfer Award – 1996 and Performance Excellence Award – 1999. For his outstanding contributions to the Nation, he has been conferred withPadma Shri in 1998[8] andPadma Bhusan in 2013.[citation needed] In January 2010 and December 2012 he was awarded with honorary doctorate fromSardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Surat,SRM Institute of Science and Technology Chennai andJawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad respectively. He received theAryabhata Award in 2011.[9] Academy of Grassroots Studies and Research of India (AGRASRI), Tirupati, awarded him the Rajiv Gandhi Outstanding Leadership National Award for the year 2014 on 20 August, 2014 at Tirupati, by Dr. A. Chakrapani, the then Chairman, Andhra Pradesh State Legislative Council. Dr. V.K. Saraswat delivered the 14th Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Lecture on 20 August, 2014 at Tirupati.
After internal audit reports andCAG raising red flags over many of V. K. Saraswat's decisions, theMinistry of Defence[10] decided to impose severe restrictions on his financial powers.[11]Government of India in 2013 turned down his extension as DRDO's Chief.[12]