Dr. Kadiyam Venkateswara Rao

Dr K Venkateswara Rao took over as Director for Advanced centre of Research in High Energy materials (ACRHEM), a DRDO Centre of Excellence, on 31st Jan 2014. The centre is situated in and under the administrative control of Central University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad established in 2005. Before taking charge he served DRDO at Naval Science and Technological Laboratory at various capacities. With post graduation in Chemistry at Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati in 1974 and doctor of philosophy at Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur in the field of Electrochemical Power Sources in 1979, he first joined in Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Karaikudi, a CSIR laboratory as Scientist-B in 1980 and worked in the fields of Fuel Cells and High temperature batteries. He then moved into DRDO at Naval Science and Technological Laboratory, Visakhapatnam in 1985 as scientist-C and created Propulsion battery division; became scientist-G and Associate Director in 2006 and was Technology Director for battery Systems division and Explosive division and worked till July 2013. He is involved in various underwater weapons and systems developed inclusive of Advanced Experimental Torpedo (AET), WGT, Takshak, Varunastra, ALWT, Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, various underwater Mines, Decoys, etc. Responsible for development of various advanced and state of art battery technologies on par with the advanced nations which includes Mg-AgCl (50kW), Ni-MH, Al-AgO (120kW), AgO-Zn (250kW), Li-based Thermal, primary and secondary battery technologies. As Programme Manager for Advanced batteries under CODE Programme he developed various batteries for sister DRDO Laboratories. Associated in Torpedo trials conducted in Kyrgysthan at different time periods. As a Project Director for two projects, undertaken Technology Transfer from  Belarus for development of Mg-CuCl battery (220kW).Was in-charge in the development of various explosives and warheads for the underwater weapon systems developed inclusive of PBX warhead and shaped charge warhead.

           Published over 50 papers in various national, international and defence journals. In recognition of his contributions he was awarded Ramachar Award for Best paper from IISc, Bangalore in 1979, DRDO’s Agni Award for Excellence in Self Reliance in 2002, DRDO’s Silicon Award in 2005 and DRDO’s Scientist of the Year Award in 2010.