Padma Awards N Vittal, YS Rajan Conferred Padma Awards
NVittal, 1960 batch IAS officer, has been awarded the Padma Bhushan award for 2012. Vittal has held the appointments of chairman, Telecom Commission; secretary, Department of Telecommunications; chairman, Public Enterprises Selection Board; and Central Vigilance Commissioner. His experience of 35 years in the administrative service covered industrial administration, science and technology, and security.
As secretary to the Government of India, he initiated policies for boosting software, setting up software technology parks, and strategic alliance with the industry. He was also successful in introducing the electronics hardware technology park scheme to boost the manufacturing of electronic hardware. He made the department of electronics a frontrunner in adjusting to the new industry-friendly policy, encouraging foreign direct investment from IBM and Motorola. As chairman of Telecom Commission, he initiated the process of liberalization in the telecom sector and played a major role in getting the National Telecom Policy 1994 approved and announced.
Yagnaswami Sundara Rajan, eminent scientist and technologist, has also been conferred with Padma Shri award for 2012. He has a proven track record of excellence as a scientist, technologist, administrator, organization builder, leader, diplomat, academic, writer and poet, etc. He has made key contributions to space research, technology, and applications since 1964 and continues to be an important expert on space matters.
As a scientific secretary, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), he was responsible for a combination of scientific, technical, administrative, planning, policy, and international cooperation matters. His contributions in shaping ISRO from its initial experimental phases into a major service delivery organization have been remarkable. In the process, he has also been a creator of many institutions and sustainable mechanisms between ISRO and its end users. While holding various positions of responsibility related to science and technology (S&T) between 1988 and 2002, he has shaped key policies and implemented several successful R&D projects with industry participation.
He has been responsible for creating a series of documents related to Technology Vision 2020 for India, which culminated in a book on a roadmap for socio-economic development for India called ‘India Vision 2020’. Rajan also has long association with Cybermedia in the past and was the chief guest in the VOICE&DATA awards 2002.