OCE Discovery 08

Dr. Y. S. Rajan

Principal Adviser
Confederation of Indian Industry

Current Positions

Principal Adviser, CII (Confederation of Indian Industry)
Adjunct Professor, BITS, Pilani, (India) Birla Institute of Technology & Science.
Vice President, DAV College Managing Committee (All India)
Member Governing Council, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, (New Delhi).
Member of the Executive Council of the Banaras Hindu University (Varanasi)

Earlier Positions

Scientific Adviser to Punjab Chief Minister (Minister of State Rank) from Oct 2002 to March 2004.
Vice Chancellor & Chairman, Board of Governors, Punjab Technical University (PTU) from Oct 2002 - Feb 2004).
Member Executive Council, North--Eastern Hill University, (Shillong)
(Founder) Executive Director TIFAC (Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council) from July 1988 to November 2002. India Vision 2020 and many other Missions came form this Institution.
Scientific Secretary to Principal Scientific Adviser to GoI (Secretary to Govt of India level post) from March 2000 to Oct 2002, Member - Secretary Scientific Advisory Committee to Cabinet etc.
Senior Adviser (Technology), CII from Sept 1996 to March 2000.
Advisor, Dept of Science & Technology (DST), Govt of India (Addl Secretary level position), from July 1988 - Sept 1996.
Held many simultaneous multiple positions in ISRO
Scientific Secretary, ISRO from 1976 to 1988 being a key early contributor to the Indian Space Programe from 1964.
Director, Earth Observation Systems & several other senior positions in ISRO till 1988.
Secretary, NNRMS (National Natural Resources Management systems) - Founder Chief Executive Officer) from 1983 to 1988.
Responsible for programme management at senior corporate headquarter level for many projects of ISRO : SITE, SLV-3, Aryabhata, Insat, IRS, PSLV decade profiles in ISRO etc. from 1970 to1988.
ISRO Engineer at NASA ATS - F Project Goddand Space Flight Centre (USA) from 1970 to 1973.
Member, ISRO - MIT Study on INSAT 1970.
Development Engineer IN COSPAR/ISRO from 1966 to 1970.
Research Scholar at PRL, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad from 1964 to 1966.

A Brief Profile

A career full of corporate/organizational/technological contributions to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)/Indian Space Programme from conceptual stages, planning & implementation. Also to many innovative administrative/financial/management systems for ISRO and other S&T agencies via Indian Department of Science and Technology (IDST) work. Several sustainable institutions and mechanisms were created by his efforts and leadership. Held many senior positions including that of Secretary to Government of India.
Mr. Rajan has a wide international experience; cooperative projects between countries; leading Indian delegation to UN; visited more than 35 countries in all continents.
Original contribution to Space Law since 1976 -88
A well recognised authority on technology development-business management. Technology Vision 2020 for India is one major contribution.
Author of many books. Also a poet in Tamil and English.
In view of multiple responsibilities he held, he was Member of several Apex scientific, technical management Boards/Committees /Council (too numerous to list) at all India level.
Wide International Experience : Visited about 35 countries in all continents. Key role in ISRO in UN Bodies (led Indian delegation). Responsible for many cooperation agreements/projects/contracts. Nodal position for most international work of ISRO from 1976 to 1988. Key person for India - ASEAN S&T cooperation since 1995 - 2002 and other select countries.
Was Visiting Professor, Anna University (remote sensing) from 1984 to 1988.
Elected member of International Astronautical Academy, Paris (1986 - Life).
Expert in environmentally sound technologies, satellite meteorology mapping systems and Intellectual Property Rights related matters. Has done special assignment for UN organizations like UNIDO, WIPO and UNEP. Actively involved in evolving policies and procedures relating to adopting IPR laws in India to the post WTO/TRIP situation and also in preparing the Indian Industry and institutions to master IPR issues.
Has a good knowledge of strategic areas and security issues including dual-use technologies.
Was Member of a high level committee for evolving Ethical Guidelines on Biomedical Research involving human subjects, set up by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) from 1996 to 2000.
Played the lead role in completing a major exercise for Technology Vision for India up to 2020, organised by TIFAC and led by many industry leaders, technologists and administrators. Twenty-five documents dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister on August 2, 1996. Resulted in now famous book India 2020.
Was Member of the ‘National Task Force on Information Technology and Software Development constituted under the authority of the office of the Prime Minister during the years 1998-1999.
Fellow, Indian National Academy of Engineers (INAE) - (1998 - Life).
Fellow, Astronautic Society of India (ASI)
Was Chairman, Board of Directors, National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) from 2001 to 2004.
Currently Member of Space Law Committee of International Law Association.
Awarded ‘Punjab Ratan-2003’ by All India Conference of Intellectuals.
Member of General Assembly of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.
Was and is Member in many other prestigious bodies, Councils of Institutions.
Plays an important role in interfaith dialogue such as Surat Spiritual Declaration Oct 2004 and follow up actions, Foundation for Unity of Religions & Enlightened Citizenship
Was and is an examiner for Ph.D Thesis for a number of universities.
Was Honorary Distinguished Fellow of the Centre for International Trade and Security, The University of Georgia. Honorary Distinguished Fellow of Manipal University of Higher Education.
Prolific writer and powerful speaker - many articles, chapters in books, papers including international journals etc., more than 200 Excellent communicator.

Author/co-authored the following Books:

Remote Sensing. Edited by B.L Deekshatulu and Y.S.Rajan (1984). Indian Academy of Science, Bangalore.
Co-author of a major best sellor book : "India 2020 - A Vision for the New Millennium" by Viking Penguin India by A.P.J.Abdul Kalam and Y.S.Rajan (in 1998); has been translated into Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Gujarati, Oriya, Assamese, Malayalam, Kannada, Singhalese
Author of the book "Empowering Indians: with economic, business and technology strength for the twenty-first century" by Har-Anand Publications Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi (2001) and revised reprint 2002 with a foreword by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Also translated into Hindi "Shaktipunj Bharatvasi" by Piyush Prakashan,
Co-author of the book; Global Business, Technology and Knowledge Sharing, Lessons for Developing Country Enterprises, N.S. Siddharthan and Y.S.Rajan by MACMILLAN (2002).
"Human Knowledge & Happiness', R.B.Datar Memorial Lecture 2002 (pp.61) brought out by The Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association, golden Jubilee Bar Room, Supreme Court of India, New Delhi (November, 2002).
Author of the book " Choosing Career Paths'(2003) (Science for Knowledge Society Series) by Har-Anand Publications, New Delhi.
Co-author of a major best sellor book : "Mission India - A Vision of Indian Youth'by Viking Penguin India by A.P.J.Abdul Kalam and Y.S.Rajan
Author of the book " A to Z of Success - A Companion for Youth" by Ocean Books Pvt Ltd., New Delhi

An acknowledged Poet in Tamil and English.

Five books of poetry in Tamil already published. Excellent commendation by Sahitya Academy winning poets. One translated to English. One book of English original poems by him published. It has been translated into Tamil by a famous poet and is under print. Second original English poetry collection by him is under print.

A degree of Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causal) had been conferred on Y S Rajan by Jain Vishva Bharati Institute in recognition of dedication to humanity, human values, creativity and literature in the presence of H.E. the President of India on 20 October 2005.