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Material Science Pioneer Umesh Waghmare Appointed New DST Secretary

Published on: 02 Jul 2026, 11:43 PM

The Government of India has appointed Professor Umesh Waghmare as the new Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST). Waghmare, 58, is a professor in the Theoretical Sciences Department at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) in Bengaluru and is widely recognised for his contributions to material science.

An alumnus of IIT Bombay and Yale University, where he earned his PhD, Waghmare has received several prestigious honours, including the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize and the Infosys Prize. His appointment fills the vacancy left by Abhay Karandikar, who was appointed as a Member of NITI Aayog in April 2024. Since then, Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary in the Department of Biotechnology, had been holding the additional charge of DST Secretary.

The DST is a key government body responsible for formulating and implementing policies to promote scientific research and development in India. Waghmare's expertise in material science is expected to strengthen the department's focus on advanced materials and nanotechnology.

Source: Indian Express

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