Dr. Chitra Rajagopal
PSA Fellow Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA)
Bio
Dr. Chitra Rajagopal is a PSA Fellow and former Director General of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). She previously served as Distinguished Scientist and Director General (Resources & Management) at DRDO. She also led the Centre for Fire, Explosive & Environment Safety (CFEES) and served as Director of the Centre of Excellence in Process Safety and Risk Management at IIT Delhi. She currently chairs several national committees on hydrogen safety and green hydrogen under the National Green Hydrogen Mission. She has contributed to international collaborations, including the Indo-German Working Group and the US-India Hydrogen Task Force. Her research expertise includes hydrogen safety, process safety, risk assessment, fire safety, and clean energy technologies. She holds a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering and a Ph.D. in Heat Transfer from IIT Delhi. She has authored 111 publications, holds 12 patents, and has contributed to 15 technology transfers. Her accolades include the Robert Zalosh Hydrogen Safety Excellence Award (2026) and the Women in Energy Award (2025). She is also an AICTE Distinguished Professional and has held academic positions at IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, and NIIT University.