CSIR asks sacked Indian American scientist to vacate house

New Delhi, Nov 7 : An Indian American scientist was Saturday asked to vacate his government house here in three days, nearly two weeks after being sacked from a senior post at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

"I did not know people can be so vindictive," said Shiva Ayyadurai who was appointed in CSIR as the first "Outstanding Scientist /Technologist of Indian Origin" under a new scheme sanctioned in December 2008 to attract expatriate Indian scientists to leadership positions.

"This is the state of India," he told IANS. His services were terminated Oct 26, just after four months in the job.

An entrepreneur, inventor and scientist, Ayyadurai was the founder of EchoMail Inc., which he sold before coming to India as a Fulbright scholar. He was appointed as a distinguished scientist in June and given the task of building a structure to commercialise CSIR technologies and creating a centre of excellence within the council.

"I came to CSIR with a passion to apply all of my scientific-entrepreneurial talents to help uplift the masses of Indians through the delivery of technologies," Ayyadurai said. "And finally this is what I get."

In four months, Ayyadurai along with CSIR consultant Deepak Sardana had created a new model for innovation that was 'entrepreneurially' oriented and had identified 12 spin-off opportunities across various laboratories of CSIR.

But his honeymoon with CSIR soured after he circulated to CSIR scientists Oct 19 a controversial report - critical of the CSIR leadership - authored by himself and Sardana. Ayyadurai says it was circulated to get a feedback from scientists to overcome the challenges he faced in his task.

The CSIR responded by issuing a gag order Oct 23, prohibiting Ayyadurai from speaking with scientists or directors followed by termination of his internet access and e-mail and finally withdrawal of his appointment offer Oct 26.

At that time, CSIR Director General Sameer Brahmachari had said he had backed Ayyadurai but most of his colleagues in the organisation were against the newcomer.

The order asking Ayyadurai to vacate his official residence was issued by CSIR Saturday.