V Prakash is new director general of CSIR

V Prakash is new director general of CSIR

BS Reporter / Mysore November 30, 2006

Visweswaraiah Prakash, director of Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), the Mysore-based national R&D institute in food science and technology, has been appointed the director general of Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), and the secretary of the department of scientific and industrial research in the ministry of science & ttechnology.

Prakash will officially take charge of CSIR from R A Mashelkar on January 1, 2007.

The Mysore born 55-year-old Prakash has been associated with CFTRI, established in 1942, for the last 35 years and as director since 1994. Under his leadership, it has filed 900 patents, a unique distinction for any organization, R&D institution or industry in India and abroad.

Announcing his new assignment at a press conference today, Prakash said CSIR is perhaps among the world's largest publicly funded R&D organisation. With a total budget of Rs 1,800 crore, its chain of 38 R&D establishments with 80 field stations spread across India are manned by 4,800 scientists, besides auxiliary and other staff.

CSIR