Eminent Physicist Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood appointed as the Principal Scientific Advisor.

Why in news?

• The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet(ACC) has approved the appointment of Eminent Physicist, Padma Shri, Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood (AK Sood) as the Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to the Government of India(GoI) for a period of 3 years with effect from the date he assumes charge of the post, or until further orders.
• He will succeed renowned biologist K Vijay Raghavan, who retired on 2nd April 2022.
• Ajay Kumar Sood, the Honorary Professor of the Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science(IISc), Bengaluru, is well known for his research findings on Graphene and nanotechnology.
• He is also a member of the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC).
• He was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2013 for science and Engineering.
• He holds 7 patents: 2 United States (US) and 5 Indian patents.

Roles of PSA

• Science & Technology (S&T) fundamentals with applied research in collaboration with multiple stakeholders, both in central and state governments
• Enabling future preparedness in emerging domains of science and technology
• Formulating and coordinating major inter-ministerial S&T missions
• Providing an enabling ecosystem for technology-led innovations and techno-entrepreneurship
• Driving innovation and technology delivery towards solving socio-economic challenges for sustainable growth
• Fostering effective public-private linkages for driving research and innovation

Office of PSA:

• Cabinet Secretariat established the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor(PSA) to the Government of India in November 1999.
• The office of PSA coordinates with several Ministries and advises the government on science and technology policies and interventions that are of strategic socio-economic importance.
• PM-STIAC is one of the catalysts for such tasks and also oversees the implementation of the tasks.
• It has 9 major missions, Natural Language Translation, Quantum Frontier, Artificial Intelligence, National Biodiversity Mission, Electric Vehicles, Bioscience for Human Health, Waste to Wealth, Deep Ocean Exploration, Accelerating Growth of New India’s Innovations (AGNIi).
• PSA’s office aims to provide pragmatic and objective advice to the Prime Minister and cabinet.