New directors appointed for DRDL, ASL Hyderabad

Dr M. Raghavendra Rao has beena ppointed as the Director of the Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL)
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Special Arrangement

Ankathi Raju has been appointed as the Director of the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad. Additionally, Dr M. Raghavendra Rao has been appointed as the Director of the Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL) and assumed charge. Both officers assumed charge of the post on Saturday (November 1).

A native of Hyderabad, Ankathi Raju holds a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from the University College of Engineering, Osmania University, and an M.Tech in Aeronautical Engineering (Propulsion) from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mumbai. Before his current appointment, he served as the Director of the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), where he led key indigenous defence projects, including the Enhanced Rocket System, Guided Pinaka, and the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS).

Raghavendra Rao is a graduate in Mechanical Engineering from NIT Bhopal. He obtained his Master’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering from MIT Chennai and completed his Ph.D. from NIT Warangal. During his tenure at DRDL, he contributed to the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) initiated under the leadership of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. As Technology Director (Liquid Propulsion), he led the design and development of propulsion systems for Agni, Air Defence, Advanced Naval Systems and hypersonic propulsion technologies.