Prof K. VijayRaghavan, a renowned Biologist and a member of the Management Board of the ICTS-TIFR, has been appointed as the Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to the Government of India for the next three years. He will succeed Nuclear Physicist R Chidambaram, who has been in the position for more than 16 years. The Principal Scientific Advisor is a key advisor to the Government for scientific policy, strategy, and innovation.
Prof K. VijayRaghavan has made significant contributions to the field of Developmental Biology. He is a Fellow of Indian Academy of Sciences, the Indian National Science Academy, The World Academy of Sciences, the Royal Society of London and a Foreign Associate of the US National Academy of Sciences. He is a recipient of the Bhatnagar Prize and the Infosys Prize in Life Sciences. He was conferred the Padma Shri in 2013 by the President of India.
He is a Distinguished Professor of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and former Director of the National Centre for Biological Sciences of TIFR. He served as the Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology between January 2013 and February 2018.
"I am absolutely delighted to hear this news of Prof. VijayRaghavan being appointed as Principal Scientific Advisor. My warm congratulations to him! At ICTS-TIFR, we have been privileged to have him associated with us for long. It is also very heartening for Indian science to have him at the very highest level and be the voice for science with the government," said Prof. Rajesh Gopakumar (Director, ICTS-TIFR).
"It is fantastic news that Prof K. VijayRaghavan has been appointed Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India. His scientific vision, progressive spirit, courage and sensitivity will help build a solid base for “curiosity driven scientific research” in India, that forms the bedrock of technologies that elevate human life. Vijay has been associated with the ICTS-TIFR from its very inception and his support and guidance have been invaluable to making this “temple of modern India”. My very best wishes and support to Vijay for the immense task ahead of him" said Prof. Spenta Wadia (Founding Director, ICTS-TIFR).