Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India
The Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) is the chief advisor to the government on matters related to scientific policy. It is currently a Cabinet Secretary level position created in 1999 by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. The first appointed Principal Scientific Adviser was A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. This was followed by Rajagopala Chidambaram who held the rank of a Minister of State and was the PSA for 16 years. The current PSA is Ajay Kumar Sood.
Image: A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Image: Rajagopala Chidambaram
Image: K Vijay Rhagavan
Image: Ajay Kumar Sood FRS
Rajagopala Chidambaram is an Indian Physicist who is known for his integral role in India's nuclear weapons program; he coordinated test preparation for the Pokhran-I (1975) and Pokhran-II (1998).
Chidambaram at the 2008 annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.