DRDO says DFRL will not be moved out

| By Anantha Krishnan M. | AVIATION WEEK |

Bangalore |  India | September 28, 2010 |

India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has decided to keep the Mysore-based Defense Food Research Laboratory (DFRL) within its stable, despite speculation that it and other life sciences facilities would be moved elsewhere.

DFRL supplies ready-to-eat rations to soldiers deployed in extreme and hostile conditions like Siachen, Rajasthan and during the Antarctica expedition. All its food-processing technologies have been passed on to Indian industries under transfer of technology.

Some observers had expected the facilities to be moved out of DRDO and placed under the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research as part of the recent restructuring of DRDO announced by the defense ministry (Aerospace DAILY, May 14). A faction within DRDO also felt that the labs could be moved out, primarily due to the overlap of work being done by them. But Dr. Prahlada, DRDO’s chief R&D controller for aerospace & services interaction, confirms to AVIATION WEEK that DFRL will stay with DRDO.

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AVIATION WEEK ITL Interview Series: Accountability will make DRDO vibrant, says Dr Prahlada

THE MAN, THE MISSION: DRDO's top scientist Dr Prahlada is a man of few words and more action. Photo: t-arch-2010
By Anantha Krishnan M. | Aviation Week

Bangalore, India | June 04, 2010

India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) is in a rejuvenation mode, following the Ministry of Defense (MoD) in giving itself a much-needed facelift. When reforms are implemented, they promise to make DRDO a vibrant organization. With missile expert Dr. V.K. Saraswat at the helm, DRDO has executed many visible actions so far this year. Amidst the makeovers and intense media scrutiny, Dr. Prahlada, Chief Controller R&D (Aeronautical & Services Interaction), DRDO, has been working hard to ensure that DRDO becomes resourceful and dynamic. AVIATION WEEK caught up with Dr. Prahlada to get a feel for the DRDO of tomorrow as part of its India Thought Leaders (ITL) series.

AW: You are among the few who have seen DRDO for close to 40 years. Do you think the ongoing reforms will make the DRDO any better?

P: Yes it will. I am confident. We need to perform and deliver on time. Quality is the key along with perfection and technological competence. Accountability and responsibility becomes more vital in the new scheme of things. Not that these weren’t there. Just that we needed some course corrections. We will give our scientists more freedom to innovate, more freedom to research. Newer ideas and out-of-the-box-solutions will become [the] order of the day. The new school of thought balances between current and future programs.

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http://www.aviationweek.com/india