Centre likely to extend tenure of Principal Scientific Advisor Ajay Sood
The office of the PSA was established in November 1999 by the cabinet secretariat, with only four persons, including Dr Sood, having served in the position. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam was the first to hold the position. The office advises the Prime Minister and the cabinet on matters related to science, technology, and innovation.
Dr Sood, a physicist from the Indian Institute of Science, has also served as a member of the Prime Minister's Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) — the body that assists the PSA in guiding the government. He also served as a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee, which was replaced by the PM-STIAC in 2018.
While Dr Sood's research focuses on the physics of quantum materials, having taken over as the PSA amidst the pandemic, one of the focus areas for the scientific body added under his tenure was One Health Mission. The PSA office has been driving collaborations between several ministries to promote the health of not just humans, but plants and animals, together.
In addition to One Health, Dr Sood's office has also overseen work on national missions related to AI, quantum technologies, and deep ocean exploration. His extension is expected to provide continuity to these initiatives at a time when the government is seeking to strengthen its scientific research ecosystem and boost innovation-driven economic growth.
Anonna Dutt is a Principal Correspondent who writes primarily on health at the Indian Express. She reports on myriad topics ranging from the growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension to the problems with pervasive infectious conditions. She reported on the government's management of the Covid-19 pandemic and closely followed the vaccination programme.
Her stories have resulted in the city government investing in high-end tests for the poor and acknowledging errors in their official reports.
Dutt also takes a keen interest in the country's space programme and has written on key missions like Chandrayaan 2 and 3, Aditya L1, and Gaganyaan.
She was among the first batch of eleven media fellows with RBM Partnership to End Malaria. She was also selected to participate in the short-term programme on early childhood reporting at Columbia University's Dart Centre. Dutt has a Bachelor's Degree from the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune and a PG Diploma from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She started her reporting career with the Hindustan Times.
When not at work, she tries to appease the Duolingo owl with her French skills and sometimes takes to the dance floor. ... Read More
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