Interviews for SAM-X

Director DRDL, Air Commodore Narayanan, after knowing my background and experience, ordered my posting to L.P.D. ( Liquid Propulsion Division). As I presented this posting order to Divisional Head, Squadron Leader Gopalaswamy, a look of surprise appeared on his face instead of normally expected happiness. Two other scientists, Arun Kumar Nayyar and Vijay Kumar Saraswat working in the same division were also in his room that time. He showed this posting order to both of them also and I found all three of them sharing a mysterious smile amongst themselves. Within next two days, however, as I talked to my other scientist colleagues, I understood the reason behind this unexpected reaction of theirs.

Around 1 year back, with the posting of Narayanan as Director, the development activities related to SAM-X missile began with an excitement at DRDL. As per the threat perception of that time, the government at its highest level had accorded so much priority for the time bound development of this project ( only 7 years ) that an asking was just enough to get sanction for any proposal related to it. Getting money from Defence Ministry was not a problem but the selection and appointment of suitably qualified and experienced scientists in particular fields through UPSC was a 6 months processing cycle. That was not acceptable for this project. DRDL, R&D Headquarters, Defence Ministry and UPSC used to regularize the appointments of scientists under a pre-planned unwritten arrangement. Senior scientists from the Laboratory used to visit reputed engineering colleges in the country ( mainly I.I.Ts and I.I.Sc ), interview the final year students and issue on the spot ad hoc appointment letters. After a year or two, for regularizing this appointment, a suitable advertisement was drafted and got advertised through UPSC. In this, under ‘desirable experience’, the activity mentioned was same on which that particular person was already working before hand on ad hoc basis. In  addition to it, that senior scientist of DRDL, who was present in the interview board as internal member had to inform the chairman and external members that the selection of this candidate is required for the success of Project. Thus, the selection of this scientist in question was almost a certainty, after this “ interview”. Exceptions were rare. My selection and subsequent appointment in DRDL was one such exception, because the candidate for whom this advertisement was actually meant had performed very poorly during the interview.

This was the reason for that mutual mysterious smile between Gopalaswamy and his colleagues.