New Science And Technology Council Formed To Advise PM Narendra Modi

A 21-member committee has been set up to advise Prime Minister Narendra Modi on science, technology and innovations, a top official said today.

The Prime Minister's Science Technology and Innovation Council (PM-STIAC) includes noted mathematician and Princeton University professor Manjul Bharghava; and Major General Madhuri Kanitkar, the first woman dean of Army Forces Medical College, Pune; said K Vijay Raghavan, the principal scientific adviser to the Government of India.

Headed by Mr Raghvan, the committee also comprises former ISRO chief AS Kiran Kumar; Ajay Sood, professor at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru; Subhash Kak, professor at the Oklahoma State University, United States; and industrialist Baba Kalyani.

Secretaries of at least 10 central ministries, related to science, technology, energy and education, are special invitees to the panel. The panel also has provision to include an additional member, decision of which has to be taken by the chairman of the committee.

The committee's main task is to advise the prime minister on science, technology and innovations.