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Shri Rao Aiyagari has been working with the Department
of Science and Technology for a number of years and
has made significant and outstanding contributions to
the various activities related to promotion of R&D
in Science and Engineering and also to various issues
related to formulation of policy statements on science
and technology. He has greatly contributed to the Review
of the Scientific Policies and in the preparation of
the Technology Policy statement 1983 and more recently
the new Science & Technology Policy 2003. He has
greatly contributed to the formulation of the science
and technology plans in the country and also has considerable
international exposure to the issues connected with
science policy and management of R&D. He, along
with one of his senior colleagues has authored a book
published by Department of Personnel and Administrative
Reforms titled "Policy Making in Science and Technology"
which served as an important background document in
understanding the process of Science and Technology
policy making in the country.
In the Department of Science & Technology, he is
handling one of the most important programmes titled
"Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC)"
which is responsible for promoting R&D in newly
emerging and frontier areas of science and engineering.
The SERC has been making increasing efforts to promote
basic research particularly in the universities and
academic institutions and encouraging young scientists
and engineers. SERC has done a yeoman service to the
scientific community over the years which has helped
them achieve outstanding research results. This has
resulted in establishment of major National Programmes
and Research Centres of Excellence in areas like Smart
Materials for application, Carbon & Nanomaterials
technology; Computational Fluid Dynamics; Laser Processing
of Materials; Application of Lasers in Medical Science;
Robotics and manufacturing Science, Fuel Cell Technology,
Bio-medical resonance, Display technologies.
Shri Rao Aiyagari has greatly contributed to the success
of the SERC programme which involves intricate management
and coordination skills involving scientists and scientific
institutions coming from various academic institutions,
national laboratories and industry. Some of the new
initiatives include (a) A fund for strengthening of
research infrastructure in Universities and other academic
institutions; (b) A national programme of Fellowship
to attract students to Science and Engineering as a
Research Career; (c) Swarnajayanti Fellowships in Basic
Research for young scientists below the age of 40 years
for pursuing World Class Level Science, (d) A programme
to encourage women scientists to pursue research, and
more recently (e) A Nano-Science & Technology Mission.
He has also played an important role in developing a
blue print for the S&T activities of the All India
Council for Technical Education.
He has outstanding leadership qualities and has been
leading a dedicated group of young scientific officers
committed to their tasks. He is very well known in the
scientific community and has established an excellent
rapport with them. Shri Rao Aiyagari has been actively
involved with the Technology Management Programme for
the UNDP-Government of India Country Cooperation Framework.
He has made significant and outstanding contributions
to the formulation & implementation of this Technology
Management Programme. The novel initiatives under this
include Rural Technology Development Centres and Rural
Technology Resource Centres in the States of Madhya
Pradesh and Jharkhand; Technology Entrepreneurship Parks
and Technology Business Incubators and Vocational Training,
and Cane and Bamboo Technology Centre. He has also made
significant contributions to the programmes of the United
Nations System in the field of Science & Technology.
He has been closely associated with the Management
and administration of a number of major DST initiatives
related to S&T developments.
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Introduction
Scientific & Engineering 