Prof. Ajay Sood Appointed as the New Principal Scientific Advisor to the GoI
Prof. Ajay Sood, a Padmashree awardee and an eminent physicist, was appointed as the Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to the government. He is an honorary professor of Physics at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru. Sood has been a member of the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) member and will be serving as PSA for a three-year term, taking over from Prof. K Vijaya Raghavan.
In his recent interview with the Indian Express, he elaborates on his vision for the Indian scientific ecosystem. Prof. Ajay Sood mentioned the role of PSA and its interactions with many stakeholders across the departments to advise on the current and future happenings in the science and technology landscape of the country. Given that we have tackled the pandemic very efficiently, there is a need for a centralized policy for future vaccines. Further, the semiconductor mission, wherein the government is spending INR 75,000 Cr, will boost the ecosystem significantly and attract major players in the field. He emphasized the need for ‘Ease of doing Science’, similar to the ease of doing business, to increase the country's productivity and translate the science into start-ups contributing to the economy.
PSA’s address to the Foreign Ambassadors in Building Brand India Event
Team Invest India hosted a session on ‘Building Brand India’ for Indian ambassadors and diplomats in the presence of union ministers and the PSA.
The PSA outlined the vision of the office of the PSA toward the enhancement of the science and technology landscape in the country. The ambassadors and the diplomats were briefed about the roles of PSA in providing pragmatic and objective advice to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet and focusing on the application of science and technology in critical infrastructure, economic and social sectors in partnership with government departments, institutions and industry. Further, the attendees explained the key initiatives taken by the office of the PSA, including the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC), Empowered Technology Group (ETG), and the Nine National Missions. The briefing ended with focus areas to enhance the science and technology, including the ease of doing science, wider distribution of grants and correction absorption of the same and Increasing the quality of science through public-private partnerships.
