Dr. T. Ramasami 
Former Secretary, Department of Science of Technology
Thirumalachari Ramasami, Former Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Science of Technology, is a technologist-turned-scientist and a scientist-turned-civil servant. He holds a Master’s degree in Technology from the University of Madras and a Doctoral degree in sciences from the University of Leeds UK. His research interests span a wide range of topics and contributions are in diverse areas of sciences.
He has published more than 237 scientific papers, filed 41 patents and developed 12 process know-hows. Several technologies developed by his group are in extensive commercial use in the country. His leadership to Central Leather Research Institute in gaining global leadership in leather research and his contributions in strengthening Academy-Research and Industry partnerships in the Leather sector are well known.
His leadership to CLRI in a moment of crisis helped to save 250000 jobs, Rs. 6000 crores annual turn-over and Rs. 3500 crores of annual export. He was one of the longest-serving Secretaries in the Government of India. During his period as Secretary, Department of Science and Technology introduced several new programmes and mechanisms for R&D funding and many novel schemes. INSPIRE, which has emerged as the game-changer in the attraction of talent to science, PURSE focused on the rejuvenation of Research in Indian Universities and establishment of Science and Engineering Research Board aimed at De-bureaucratization of R&D funding are indicators of the directional changes in Science landscape of India with which he was closely associated.
He was a major contributor to the formulation of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy 2013 of India. Among his numerous honors, Dr Ramasami was awarded the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for chemical sciences in 1993, Padma Sri in 2001 and Padma Bhushan in 2014. He is an elected Fellow of Indian National Science Academy, Indian Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Sciences of India, Indian National Academy of Engineers and The World Academy of Sciences. He is currently a Member of ABEO, Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and Honorary Professor in IISER Mohali and Kolkata.