Dr. Prahlada takes over as Vice Chancellor of DIAT, Pune

New Delhi, Aug 11 (ANI): Distinguished scientist and chief Controller of Aero Programmes, DRDO, Delhi, Dr. Prahlada, has taken over as the Vice Chancellor of DIAT (Defence Institute of Advanced Technology), Pune.

The Defence Institute of Advanced Technology is a Deemed University. which is an Autonomous Organisation fully funded by the department of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

The Defence Institute of Advanced Technology as it is known today came into being as the institute of Armament Studies in 1952 in the CME campus.

In 1967, the institute was renamed as "Institute of Armament Technology (IAT), which moved to its present location at Girinagar, Pune. From the relatively narrow scope of Armament Studies alone in the Fifties, the role of the Institute was considerably enlarged by the Defence R andD Council in 1964 and further in 1981.

On the basis of accreditation by the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE), Pune University recognized eight courses for the award of ME degree in 1980. In the year 2000, the institute acquired the status of a Deemed university.

IAT has been renamed as D.I.A.T with effect from April 1, 2006.

Defence Minister A. K. Antony is the Chairman of the governing council and Dr.V.K. Saraswat, Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri, is the secretary.

Areas of academic studies and research cover a large canvas including Aerospace Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Applied Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Material Science.

Dr. Prahlada, born on February 5, 1947 in Bangalore, is a Mechanical Engineering Graduate from University College of Engineering, Bangalore University (1969).

Subsequently, he got his Masters Degree in Aeronautical Engineering Department from IISc., Bangalore, with specialization in Rockets and missile Systems and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad.

Since 1971 he has served in various ISRO and DRDO Establishments covering VSSC Trivandrum, ADE Bangalore, DRDL Hyderabad and DRDO HQrs at Delhi.

As project Director for the mobile surface to air area defence missile system, AKASH, he has provided the technological and managerial leadership for about 1000 scientists/engineers working at various development centres over 20 years in the country.

In his position as Director of the biggest DRDO laboratory, DRDL, during 1997-2005, he has provided leadership to many missile projects, new technologies and world-class test facilities.

He was Programme Director for the Joint Venture Project (Indo-Russia) BrahMos and contributed to Project formulation, management and conduct of initial flight trials.

He has spearheaded commercialization of DRDO technologies into civilian products through a customized programme with FICCI.

He is recipient of many coveted awards, which include DRDO Scientist of the Year, IISc Distinguished Alumnus Award, National Aeronautical Prize, DRDO Award for Path Breaking Research/ Outstanding technology Development 2008.

He was awarded honorary doctorate from Sri Venkateswara University in 2006.

He is the Member / Fellow of various Professional Organisations like IISC., Alumni Association, Management Association, Institute of Engineering and other Aeronautical Aerodynamics and Electronic Institutions situated in various cities of India.

Dr. Prahlada brings with him academic brilliance and high track record of 40 years of service to the Defence Forces to give a new leadership to the Institute, which is poised to become a world class University to foster science and technology related to internal security and national defence. (ANI)