Prof Ajay Kumar Sood has been appointed as the Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to the government. Sood is a member of Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, and will hold the post for three years. He will succeed renowned biologist Prof K Vijay Raghavan.

Sood did his MS in Physics from Punjab University and PhD from the Indian Institute of Bangalore. He received the Padma Shri in 2013. He is a Distinguished Honorary Professor of Physics at Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru.

Sood holds the following positions. He iss a Member, Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council to the PM of India (2018-present); Chairman, Governing Council, Raman Research Institute (2016-present); Member, Vision Group on Nanotechnology, Government of Karnataka; Chairman, Board of Governers, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research-Bhopal (2020-present); Chairman, Board of Governers, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research-Mohali (2021 onwards); Chairman, DST Committee of VAJRA (2020 onwards);

He has also served as Member, Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India (2009-2014); Member, Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Oversight Committee, GoI (2012-14, 2017-19); Member, Nanomission Council of Dept. of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India (GoI); Chairman, Nano Science Advisory Group, DST, GoI; Chair, International Advisory Board, Winton Program, Cambridge University, UK (2015-2019); Member, Physics Sectional Committee of the Royal Society, UK (2016-2018); Member, Board of Governors, Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Mohali (2012-2018); Member, Board of Governors of the Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR); Member, Governing Body and the Society of the CSIR (2013-2016); Member, Governing Council, Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences, Bangalore (2013-2018).