The appointment, announced in a press release on Wednesday, places Gopinath at the helm of DMRL, DRDO’s premier laboratory for developing advanced materials for India’s defence sector.
Before becoming director, Gopinath served as an Outstanding Scientist and Associate Director at DMRL, where he led several high‑priority aeronautical materials projects and core research programmes.
He joined DRDO in 1994 and has since contributed to a range of indigenous technologies deemed critical to national security, including a key role in the development of materials and components for the Kaveri engine programme between 1994 and 2008.
After moving to DMRL in 2008, his focus shifted to high‑temperature alloys and specialised naval steels, work that underpins critical technologies for India’s naval and aerospace platforms.
Gopinath’s academic credentials include a B.E. from PSG College of Technology (1992), an M.Tech. from IIT Kanpur (1994) and a Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru (2009), reflecting a career built on some of the country’s leading engineering institutions.
His appointment is expected to strengthen DMRL’s research agenda and accelerate the development of indigenous defence materials, aligning with DRDO’s broader push for self‑reliance in critical technologies.