Hyderabad, August 1^st 2023: Quantum Ecosystems Technology Council of India (QETCI), a not-for-profit organization which is a Think Tank and an Ecosystem Entity dedicated to Enabling and Accelerating the Quantum Ecosystem in India, has announced the appointment of Dr. Vijay Kumar Saraswat as Chairman of the Governing Board. This senior appointment is aimed at bringing in strategic direction and support towards meeting the organization’s mission and allow QETCI to further act as a catalyst which designs and implements strategic interventions in the Quantum Ecosystem in research, Innovation, Implementation and Impact 

Dr. Vijay Kumar Saraswat is a distinguished scientist with a glorious record. With his remarkable contributions in research and development, including his significant achievements in defence research in both basic and applied sciences, Dr. Saraswat brings unparalleled expertise and a deep understanding of the Science and technology landscape. Dr Saraswat led an empowered technical advisory committee for the development of national supercomputing systems. He played a key role in setting up the Photonics Valley Corporation at Telangana and initiated a programme for development of Silicon-Photonics Technology. He is a member of NITI Aayog and Co-Chair for the PMSTIAC (Prime Minister’s Science Technology and Innovation Advisory Committee).

Earlier Dr. Saraswat retired as the Secretary of the Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO) and the Chief Scientific Advisor to the Indian Minister of Defence. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in the indigenous development of several systems including, PRITHVI, DHANUSH and AGNI. He has been conferred with many prestigious awards including the highest civilian awards like the Padma Shri (1998) and Padma Bhushan (2013).

Speaking on this announcement Ms. Reena Dayal, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, QETCI said, “We are honoured to have Dr. Vijay Kumar Saraswat, as the Chairman of our Governing Board. We are raising the stakes for what QETCI should accomplish for India. We are very excited about the fact that our mission has traction, and we have somebody of Dr Saraswat’s stature guiding us as we scale up. With his guidance, our confidence in our ability to drive innovation, foster collaboration, establish India as a global leader in the Quantum Revolution  and advancing research in Quantum Technologies has grown many fold.”

Speaking on his appointment Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog said “Stepping into a quantum revolution, India’s future shines brighter. Quantum Technologies wield the power to redefine industries, fortify national security, and ignite a new wave of innovation. The Government of India is committed to leading this cutting-edge field.” 

Referring to QETCI, he added, “Harnessing quantum computing, QETCI fosters innovation through collaboration. With strategic partnerships, indigenous research, a skilled quantum workforce, and unwavering support for quantum entrepreneurship, QETCI stands poised to empower India’s quantum ecosystem.”