Dr D. Srinivasa Reddy took over the additional charge as Director of CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow, on 31 January 2022. He is currently heading the CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM), Jammu. Professor Tapas Kumar Kundu was superannuated  on 30 January 2022 from the Director's post from CSIR-CDRI, Lucknow. He will continue his work as Professor at JNCASR, Bengaluru.

Dr Reddy is a young and dynamic person and has a good amalgamation of research experience from the Pharmaceutical Industry and Govt Research Organisations. He served in the pharmaceutical industry for seven years (Dr Reddy’s & TATA Advinus), a molecule discovered by his team at the industry is currently in human phase-II clinical trials (Licogliflozin). He obtained his PhD degree from the University of Hyderabad, in the year 2000 under the mentorship of Professor Goverdhan Mehta. He has also worked with Prof. Sergey A. Kozmin (University of Chicago, USA) and Prof. Jeffrey Aubé (University of Kansas, USA) for his Post-Doctoral research work.

After Post-Doctoral training in the USA, he returned to India. Dr Reddy has more than 20 Years of research experience in the synthesis of natural products/medicinal chemistry/drug discovery. He has won several honours and awards including the prestigious J.C. Bose National Fellowship by SERB, DST, Govt of India, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award (SSB) in Chemical Sciences, NASI-Reliance Industries Platinum Jubilee Award for application-oriented innovations in physical sciences, CRSI Bronze Medal in recognition of his contribution in chemical science, CDRI Award-Chemical Sciences for the contribution in Drug discovery & Sun Pharma Research Award (Ranbaxy Research Award) in the field of pharmaceutical sciences. He is a fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, India (FASc) and a fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India (FNASc). He is elected a fellow of the Maharashtra Academy of Sciences, Telangana Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI). He has more than 120 research publications to his credit and is an inventor of more than 35 patents.

All scientists, administrative staff and students extended their best wishes to Prof. Tapas K Kundu on his superannuation and also showed solidarity with Dr D. Srinivasa Reddy for his able leadership and assured all possible cooperation.