A. Sivathanu Pillai

A Sivathanu Pillai is an Indian scientist who formerly served as Chief Controller of Research and Development from year 1996 to 2014 and held the rank of "Distinguished Scientist" from year 1999 to 2014 at the Defence Research and Development Organisation at the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of India. He is also the founder-CEO and Managing Director of the BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited.

He previously served as Vice President of International Project Management Association and as Special Secretary representing India in the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation.

He currently serves as Chairperson of the Board of Governors of the National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra.

Early life and education
Apathukatha Sivathanu Pillai was born in Nagercoil which was part of the erstwhile princely state of Travancore on 15 July 1947. He has completed his schooling at D.V.D. Higher Secondary School, Nagercoil. He earned his Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from Thigarajar College of Engineering in 1969. He then completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School (Class of 1991). He then earned PhD in Technology Management from University of Pune in 1996 and D.Sc from Tumkur University.

Career
Pillai’s four decades of experience in ISRO and DRDO made him a leader in the field of launch vehicles and guided missiles. He joined DRDO in 1986 and was the Programme Director of IGMDP under the leadership of A. P. J. Kalam. He contributed to the successful development of SLV III as a core team member and to the evolution of PSLV configuration for ISRO. In August 2007 he was given a third extension of his retirement date by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.

Brahmos Aerospace
Pillai is regarded as the Father of BRAHMOS, the joint venture between India and Russia to design, develop, produce and market the supersonic cruise missile BrahMos and he is the Chief Executive and Managing Director of BrahMos Aerospace. In 2007, under his leadership as CEO of Brahmos Aerospace, the company bought Kerala Hitech Industries Limited. It has been then converted into Brahmos Aerospace Trivandrum Limited, the second missile making unit of BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited for a world-class missile facility with system integration and testing.

Books, Research Papers and Journals
Sivathanu Pillai is a published author and co author of several books, research papers and journals.
 * The Path Unexplored (Publisher: Pentagon Press, Publication Year: 2014; ISBN 9788182747906).
 * Thoughts For Change - We Can Do It (Publisher: Pentagon Press, Publication Year: 2012; EAN: 9788182747074).
 * Envisioning an empowered nation: technology for societal transformation (Publisher: Tata McGraw-Hill Pub. Co., 2004; ISBN 978-0-07-053154-3).
 * Technology Leadership – A Revolution in the Making: defining the future visionary leaders (ISBN 9780070583283).
 * Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in Engineering: (Publisher: World Scientific, 2010; ISBN 978-981-4277-92-1).
 * Ocean Warfare: The Technology Waves (Publisher: Manas Publications, 2006; ISBN 978-81-7049-239-9).
 * Revolution In Leadership – Building Technology Competence (ISBN 9788182745520).
 * Nanotechnology Engineering in Nano- and Bio-Medicine: Devices and Applications (ISBN 9780470758632)

Others

 * India primes for growth in defence electronics
 * Tipu Sultan the first to use missile technology
 * Humans will soon inhabit other planets: Sivathanu Pillai
 * Hypersonic missiles to replace ballistic missiles
 * India should have its own computer operating system: Pillai
 * Nanotechnology will change lives: Sivathanu Pillai
 * Nanotechnology will change lives: Sivathanu Pillai