Hyderabad /Secunderabad: Ankathi Raju, a Distinguished Scientist with an illustrious career spanning over three decades, has been appointed as the Director of the Defence Research and Development Laboratory ,Hyderabad. He formally assumed charge on Saturday, marking a significant leadership transition at one of India’s premier defence research institutions under the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex.
DRDL, a flagship laboratory of the DRDO, plays a pivotal role in the design, development, and delivery of advanced missile systems for national defence. Raju’s appointment is expected to further strengthen the laboratory’s strategic capabilities and innovation trajectory. An alumnus of Osmania University, Hyderabad, Raju holds a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering and an M.Tech in Aeronautical Engineering Propulsion from IIT Mumbai. His technical acumen and leadership have been instrumental in several landmark defence projects, including the successful demonstration of the Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet propulsion system and the development of liquid propulsion systems for missiles such as Prithvi, Agni, PAD, PDV, and Mission Shakti (ASAT). His contributions also extend to reaction control systems, air defence interceptors, and axial flow compressor technologies.
