Vijay Kumar Saraswat (born 25 May 1949) is an Indian defence scientist who was Director General of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister from 2009 to 2013. A specialist in rocket propulsion, he led the development of the Prithvi missile and of India’s ballistic missile defence system. Since 2015 he has been a member of NITI Aayog, the government’s policy think tank. He received the Padma Bhushan in 2013.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Vijay Kumar Saraswat |
| Born | 25 May 1949, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India |
| Age | 77 |
| Field | Aerospace engineering, missile technology |
| Offices | Director General, DRDO (2009–2013); Member, NITI Aayog (2015–present) |
| Education | Madhav Institute of Technology and Science, Gwalior (B.E.); IISc Bangalore (M.E.); Osmania University (Ph.D.) |
| Honours | Padma Shri (1998), Padma Bhushan (2013) |
Early Life
Saraswat was born in Gwalior and took a degree in mechanical engineering there. He earned a master’s from the Indian Institute of Science and a doctorate in combustion engineering from Osmania University.
Career
He joined the DRDO in 1972 at the Defence Research and Development Laboratory in Hyderabad, working on liquid-propellant rocket engines, including the engine of the “Devil” project, and joined the team assembled by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam for the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme. As project director of Prithvi he saw India’s first home-built surface-to-surface missile through development into service with the armed forces, including its naval version, Dhanush.
As director of the Research Centre Imarat he led the programme to build a shield against incoming ballistic missiles. In November 2006 an interceptor destroyed a target missile outside the atmosphere, making India one of very few countries with such technology.
During his term the 5,000-kilometre Agni-V was first tested in April 2012, the nuclear submarine INS Arihant’s reactor became operational and the Tejas light combat aircraft received its initial clearance. He pressed for more research on cyber security and on indigenous computer chips.
He was appointed a full-time member in 2015 and handles science, technology and energy. He has chaired committees on methanol and coal gasification as cleaner fuels and on India’s semiconductor and electric-vehicle policies. He was also chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Awards and Honours
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was V. K. Saraswat born?
V. K. Saraswat was born on 25 May 1949 in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India and is 77 years old.
What honours has V. K. Saraswat received?
Padma Shri (1998), Padma Bhushan (2013).
Featured image: V. K. Saraswat, member of NITI Aayog, at a discussion with young scientists, Kolkata, 11 January 2018. Photo by Biswarup Ganguly, licensed under CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
