NEW DELHI: The government decided to extend by one year the tenure of Samir V Kamat, Chief of the Department of Defence R&D and Chairman of DRDO, who was scheduled to retire on May 31. He will now retire on May 31, 2025.
“The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Defence for the extension of service of Dr. Samir V Kamat, Secretary, Defence Research and Development (DDR&D), and Chairman, DRDO, for a period of one year from June 1, 2024, until May 31, 2025, or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” said the Cabinet’s Appointment Committee.
The extension comes as the government has set an August 31, 2024 deadline for implementing recommendations by former Principal Scientific Advisor, Prof. K. VijayRaghavan, aimed at revamping the country’s foremost defence research agency.
While Kamat remains at the helm, an Overseeing Committee, including two other director generals, was established to ensure the review and implementation of the proposals.
The major reforms proposed by the Raghavan committee include accelerating project timelines, evaluating projects and scientists, MSME, and academic participation in defence technologies, and establishing a financial framework to encourage risk-taking research.