DRDO 2.0 triggers reverse brain drain; tech challenges key reason

Kunal Biswas

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[h=3]HOMECOMING: DRDO 2.0 triggers reverse brain drain; tech challenges key reason, claims Saraswat[/h]BANGALORE: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is hit by a strange phenomenon. Often in the news for delayed and derailed projects, the DRDO top brass are now on Cloud 9, with hundreds of non-resident Indian (NRI) scientists making a beeline to be part of India's gen-next defence projects.Confirming this reverse brain drain trend to Express, DRDO chief V K Saraswat said requests are pouring in from NRIs from the US, Canada and UK. "We have a better system for R&D in India now and that makes the difference. Our challenges are current, which will satisfy the needs of out future system," says Saraswat.But even Saraswat agrees that DRDO will have to mend its ways to create the much-needed brand identity. "If we stick to our deadlines and set realistic targets, our projects will brand for ourselves. And our customers will be our brand ambassadors," says Saraswat.W Selvamurthy, chief controller (R&D), DRDO, says the reforms being initiated following the P Rama Rao Committee recommendations are slowly showing results. "Decision-making has become faster with directors getting more power. NRI scientists watching us closely have realised the changing philosophies of DRDO. Last year, we hired 40 NRIs and 400-plus are waiting to get in," says Selvamurthy.DRDO is now in the process of recruiting 2,000 more scientists and hopes to get the nod by the beginning of the 12th Plan. Defence Minister A K Antony has cleared the proposal, which is now with the Finance Ministry. The file will then move to the Cabinet Committee on Security for final approval. DRDO needs mighty brains to work on its big-ticket missile projects, including the Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MR-SAM), and the Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile (SR-SAM). The MR-SAM project is worth around `10,000 crore, while the SR-SAM sits on a whopping `30,000 crore.India's late, but light fighter jet Tejas programme too is witnessing the getting-back-trend. "Scientists who left us for a brighter future want to make a comeback. We have taken people paying salaries that match industry standards. If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys," says a senior HR official with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA).ADA has already hired 30 people as Scientific Fellows in the 30-67 age group. The autonomous status of ADA and the much-needed out-of-the-box hiring drives are playing to their advantage.


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Yusuf

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What the DRDO can do is give a free had to these guys coming with expertise gained abroad. give them different departments and come up with independent solutions. Funding is never an issue. I would not be surprised if the next gen missiles that we have seen like Shourya would be due to the people coming back from abroad.
 

sayareakd

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If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys
well not entirely true, so far what is achieved at shoe string budget and peanuts salaries is incredible achievement, not to forget all the tape which every govt babu has to face.
 

pankaj nema

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For several people the purpose of Foreign stay is Dollars for a house
of their own
In Indian salary Cars are easily bought but House takes time :laugh:

SO when enough dollars have been earned and a house purchase has become possible
then many people are tempted to come back

Of course Job satisfaction and a challenging work environment is also necessary
 

agentperry

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What the DRDO can do is give a free had to these guys coming with expertise gained abroad. give them different departments and come up with independent solutions. Funding is never an issue. I would not be surprised if the next gen missiles that we have seen like Shourya would be due to the people coming back from abroad.
dear friend funding is not an issue NOWER days( still i would like to repeat LG India spends money equal to drdo budget to develop fridge phones and washing machine, but earlier the situation was worse than present one)
 

Bangalorean

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Sorry for skepticism, but I find it hard to believe.

Let us see - proof of the pudding is in the eating, as they say. I will wait till DRDO comes up with something useful before expressing delight.
 

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