Defence Research and Development Establishment

Last updated

Defence Research & Development Establishment
Established1973
Director Dr. Manmohan Parida
AddressNew Campus: Jhansi Road,
Gwalior-474 002, Old Campus: Tansen Rd.,
Gwalior-474 002
Location Gwalior, MP
Operating agency
DRDO
Website https://www.drdo.gov.in/labs-and-establishments/defence-research-development-establishment-drde

Defence Research & Development Establishment (DRDE) is an Indian defence laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Located in Gwalior, it is primarily involved in the research and development of detection and protection against toxic chemical and biological agents. [1] DRDE is organised under the Life Sciences Directorate of DRDO. The present director of DRDE is Dr. Devendra Kumar Dubey.

Contents

History

In 1924, the Maharaja of Gwalior established a research laboratory to explore forest products and mineral resources. In 1947, the Jiwaji Industrial Research Laboratory (as the lab was known) was inaugurated by C. Rajagopalachari, the then Governor General of India. In 1966, it was taken over by the Ministry of Defence. As its research activities expanded, in 1973, JIRL was made a separate laboratory, and renamed as Defence Research & Development Establishment. [2]

Advanced Biological Defence Research Centre (ABDRC) will be set up under DRDE as a Biosafety level 4 laboratory that will work on highly contagious virus, their effects on human being, and developing safeguards. [3]

Area of work

DRDE is the primary defence laboratory involved in the development of NBC detection and protection systems. It conducts research in the fields of biochemistry, microbiology, biotechnology, Virology and toxicology. It conducts safety and toxicological evaluations of hazardous chemicals and materials. [4]

It also develops rapid diagnostic tests for pathogens and investigates preventive measures for the control of diseases. To protect from Chemical weapons, it also conducts research in the area of detection, protection and decontamination of hazardous chemicals.

Research and development activities at DRDO cover important demarcated disciplines like aeronautics, rockets and missiles, electronics and instrumentation, combat vehicles, engineering, naval systems, armament technology including explosives research, terrain research, advanced computing, artificial intelligence, robotics, works study, systems analysis and life sciences including high-altitude agriculture, physiology, food technology and nuclear medicine. In addition to undertaking research and development activities, DRDO also assists the Services by rendering technical advice regarding formulation of requirements, evaluation of systems to be acquired, fire and explosive safety and mathematical and statistical analysis of operational problems.

DRDO offers specialised training at its two premier training institutions called Institute of Armament Technology, Pune and Defence Institute of Work Study, Mussoorie. The courses at these institutions have been evolved primarily to meet the needs of DRDO, Department of Defence Production and Supplies and the three Services.

Projects and Products

Technologies for Civilian use

As a by-product of its research, the lab also develops civilian applications of biotechnology, especially in human waste disposal, disease control, pest control, etc. As is common with DRDO laboratories, many of the technologies developed by DRDE are available for civil use and have been transferred to private sector. [5]

Technologies transferred to the civilian sector include diagnostic kits/systems for Anthrax, Dengue, [6] Plague, [7] Malaria, [8] and other infections. It has also developed insecticides, pest repellents and water quality testing and purification kits. Its major thrust area is defence against Bio-Terrorism, including chemicals agents like Sarin and biological agents like Botulinum neurotoxin. [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Defence Research and Development Organisation</span> Government agency in India

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is the premier agency under the Department of Defence Research and Development in Ministry of Defence of the Government of India, charged with the military's research and development, headquartered in Delhi, India. It was formed in 1958 by the merger of the Technical Development Establishment and the Directorate of Technical Development and Production of the Indian Ordnance Factories with the Defence Science Organisation. Subsequently, Defence Research & Development Service (DRDS) was constituted in 1979 as a service of Group 'A' Officers / Scientists directly under the administrative control of Ministry of Defence.

The Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory or NPOL is a laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), under the Ministry of Defence, India. It is situated in Thrikkakara, Kochi, Kerala. NPOL is responsible for the Research & Development of sonar systems, technologies for underwater surveillance, study of ocean environment and underwater materials.

Veredus Laboratories is a medical device company in Singapore that specializes in developing portable diagnostic tool kit.

Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE) is a laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Located at Avadi, in Chennai, India. It is the main DRDO lab involved in the development of Armoured fighting vehicles, Tanks, Automotive electronics and many other.

The Centre for Fire, Explosive and Environment Safety (CFEES) is an Indian defence laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Located in Timarpur, Delhi, its main function is the development of technologies and products in the area of explosive, fire and environmental safety. CFEES is organised under the Armaments Directorate of DRDO. The present director of CFEES is Rajiv Narang

Laser Science and Technology Centre (LASTEC) is a laboratory of the Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO). Located in Delhi, it is the main DRDO lab involved in the development of Lasers and related technologies. LASTEC functions under the DRDO Directorate of Electronics & Computer Science.

High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) is a laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Located in Pune, its main function is the research and development of technologies and products in the area of High Energy Materials and Explosive materials. HEMRL is organised under the Armaments Directorate of DRDO. The Ex. director of HEMRL was Late Bikash Bhattacharya.

Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL) is a laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) which comes under Ministry of Defence. Located in Chandigarh, the laboratory has become one of the major DRDO labs in the field of armament studies. TBRL is organized under the Armaments Directorate of DRDO. The present director of TBRL is Shri. Prateek Kishore.

The Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL) is an Indian defence laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), located in Visakhapatnam. Its main function is the research and development of underwater weapons and associated systems. NSTL is organized under DRDO's Directorate of Naval R&D. The present director of NSTL is Dr Y. Sreenivas Rao, Outstanding Scientist and Director General(DG) is Dr. Sameer V. Kamath, Distinguished Scientist.

Vehicle Research and Development Establishment (VRDE) is a laboratory of the Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO) located at Vahannagar near Ahmednagar. Its primary function is research and development of various light tracked, wheeled and specialised vehicles for defence applications.

Center for Defence Electronics Application Laboratory (DEAL) is a laboratory of the Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO). Located in Dehradun, its primary function is research and development in the radio communication devices for defence applications. Its mission is development of Radio Communication Systems, Data links, Satellite Communication Systems, Millimeter Wave Communication systems

The Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL) is an Indian defence laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Located in Mysore, Karnataka, it conducts research and development of technologies and products in the area of food science and technology to cater the varied food challenges for the Indian Armed Forces. DFRL is organised under the Life Sciences Directorate of DRDO. The present director of DFRL is Dr. A D Semwal.

Naval Materials Research Laboratory (NMRL) is an Indian defence laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Located at Ambernath, in Thane district, Maharashtra. It develops materials and alloys for Naval use, and is a single-window agency for all materials requirement of the Indian Navy. NMRL is organized under the Naval Research & Development Directorate of DRDO. The present director of NMRL is Shri Prashant T Rojatkar.

Edgewood Chemical Biological Center Military unit

The U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) is the United States's principal research and development resource for non-medical chemical and biological (CB) defense. As a critical national asset in the CB defense community, ECBC supports all phases of the acquisition life-cycle ― from basic and applied research through technology development, engineering design, equipment evaluation, product support, sustainment, field operations and demilitarization ― to address its customers’ unique requirements.

Sudarshan laser-guided bomb Laser guided bomb

Sudarshan is an Indian laser-guided bomb kit, developed by Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), a DRDO lab with technological support from another DRDO lab Instruments Research and Development Establishment (IRDE), for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) is an Indian missile development laboratory, part of the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO). Their charter is centered on the design, development, and flight evaluation of various types of missile systems for the Indian armed forces. The organization's vision statement reads:

General Anoop Malhotra is a retired Lt General of the Indian Army.

Muntra Unmanned

Muntra is an family of unmanned armored vehicle developed by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation. The name stands for "Mission Unmanned Tracked"

DRDO Young Scientist Laboratories (DYSLs) are five specialised research laboratories located in five different cities of India, inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India on 2 January 2020. Each laboratory deals with a focused area of science - artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, cognitive technologies, asymmetric technologies and smart materials. The labs are located in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad. As per the norms laid out, everyone, including director, at the labs is under 35 years of age. DRDO Chairman G.Satheesh Reddy conveyed to The Hindu on 3 January 2020 that the laboratories are formally operational.

Harsh Vardhan Batra Indian scientist (born 1955)

Harsh Vardhan Batra is an Indian scientist working in animal biotechnology at the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), of the Indian Ministry of Science and Technology. He is a former director of the Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL), a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) establishment at Mysore. As a specialist in infectious diseases, he participated in the DRDO biodefence preparedness program, and was an expert member of the technical advisory committee on plague constituted by the government of India in September 1994. He served as technical consultant for the design and construction of high containment laboratories for DRDO, the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). He participated in the United Nations Biological Weapons Convention (BTWC) ad hoc group meetings in Geneva as a member of the Indian delegation, and conducted World Health Organization (WHO) Southeast Asia Regional Office meetings and workshops on infectious diseases.

References

  1. "DRDDE Charter". Archived from the original on 2006-05-07. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
  2. "DRDE Historical Backgrounds". Archived from the original on 2006-05-07. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
  3. "To study dangerous viruses, DRDE to set up advanced bio defence lab in Gwalior". Mint. 2021-12-18. Archived from the original on 2021-12-18. Retrieved 2021-12-19.
  4. "DRDE Areas of Work". Archived from the original on 2006-05-07. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
  5. "DRDE Products and Technologies available for the civilian sector". Archived from the original on 2006-05-07. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
  6. "Dengue Diagnostic Kit from DRDE". Archived from the original on 2006-05-17. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
  7. "Plague Surveillance kit". Archived from the original on 2006-05-17. Retrieved 2019-04-29.
  8. Antigen Detection for Falciparum Malaria [ permanent dead link ]
  9. "DRDE Areas of Work". Archived from the original on 2006-05-07. Retrieved 2008-02-10.