Meet Prof. Umesh V. Waghmare: India's New DST Secretary

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New Delhi, July 9 (APAC Media): The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of eminent theoretical physicist Prof. Umesh V. Waghmare as the new Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India.

He will serve in the role from the date he assumes charge until he attains the age of 60.

Prof. Waghmare succeeds Prof. Abhay Karandikar, who was appointed as a Member of NITI Aayog in April. During the interim period, Dr. Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), held additional charge of the department.

A Distinguished Academic Journey

Before taking over as DST Secretary, Prof. Waghmare served as President of the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru, where he was also a professor in the Theoretical Sciences Unit. Earlier, he served as the institution’s Dean of Academic Affairs.

His academic journey reflects an exceptional record of excellence. He graduated with a B.Tech in Engineering Physics from IIT Bombay in 1990, receiving the prestigious Institute Silver Medal. He went on to earn a Ph.D. in Applied Physics from Yale University in 1996 before pursuing postdoctoral research at Harvard University from 1996 to 2000. He joined JNCASR in 2000 and has since played a significant role in advancing theoretical and computational materials science in India.

Pioneering Research in Materials Science

Prof. Waghmare is internationally recognised for his work in computational design of materials with industrial relevance. One of his most notable scientific contributions has been the prediction of a lead-free ferroelectric material, offering an environmentally safer alternative for industries that currently depend on lead-based materials in sensors and electronic devices. The prediction was later validated experimentally and is considered an important breakthrough with significant industrial and environmental implications.

Recognised for Scientific Excellence

Prof. Waghmare has received several prestigious honours throughout his career. He was awarded the India Citation Award by Thomson Reuters Research Excellence in 2012 and was also selected for the JC Bose National Fellowship the same year.

In 2015, he received the Infosys Prize in Engineering and Computer Science for his pioneering contributions to computational materials science. He is a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, India, and the Indian National Science Academy, and currently serves as Secretary of the Indian Academy of Sciences.

His appointment as Secretary, DST, reflects the government’s continued emphasis on strengthening India’s scientific research ecosystem and leveraging fundamental science to drive innovation, technology development, and industrial growth.