During her close to 34 years of service, Dr Renu Swarup has spearheaded many initiatives, projects and programs on variety of topics at the DBT. She played a key role in getting BIRAC created and making it operational.
New Delhi: Dr Renu Swarup, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), has been assigned additional charge of the post of Secretary, Department of Science and Technology (DST). She is the first woman secretary of the DST.
As per the order issued on 31st August by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, Dr Swarup has been given the charge until the appointment of a regular incumbent or any further orders.
She succeeds Professor Ashutosh Sharma who was the DST secretary since 2015.
Dr Swarup has served in the Department of Biotechnology for about three decades. She had taken over as the DBT secretary on 10 April 2018 for a two-year term. However, she was approved to continue in the role past her term until 30 April. A further order extended her tenue for a period of six months, taking it to 31st October or until further orders.
Dr Swarup is also the chairperson of Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a not-for-profit public sector enterprise set up by DBT that promotes innovative research in biotechnology with a special focus on startups and small and medium enterprises.
She has a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in genetics and plant breeding. She completed her post-doctoral research at The John Innes Centre, Norwich UK, under Commonwealth Scholarship before returning to India in 1989 to essay the role of a Science Manager in DBT, Ministry of Science and Technology, according to her BIRAC bio.
Since then, Dr Swarup has been actively engaged in providing direction to biotechnology activities in India, such as through the Biotechnology Vision in 2001 and the National Biotechnology Development Strategy in 2007. She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences India and of the Governing Body of National Institutes, Universities and Canters.
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