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Pradeep Kurulkar Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 1, 2026 • 4 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth19 November 1963

Age62 years

BirthplacePune, Maharashtra, India

ProfessionEngineer, Scientist

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseBharati Kurulkar

FamilySon - Keyur Kurulkar (engineer, musician)

Pradeep Kurulkar Biography

Pradeep M. Kurulkar was born on 19 November 1963 in Pune, Maharashtra. He grew up in a Marathi Hindu family and later pursued engineering at the College of Engineering, Pune, where he completed a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering with distinction.

Early life and background

Pradeep M. Kurulkar was born on 19 November 1963 in Pune, Maharashtra. He grew up in a Marathi Hindu family and later pursued engineering at the College of Engineering, Pune, where he completed a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering with distinction. He also undertook advanced power electronics coursework at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, specializing in drives and applications.

Career

Kurulkar joined the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in 1988, beginning his career at the Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (CVRDE) in Pune. Over the years he developed expertise in areas such as missile launchers, military engineering equipment, advanced robotics and mobile unmanned systems tailored for defence applications.

He served in several lead technical roles on major defence projects. Kurulkar acted as project leader and system manager for the Akash surface-to-air missile programme and contributed to the rail- and road-based versions of the Agni ballistic missile during work alongside senior missile scientists. He held leadership positions as team leader and lead designer on multiple DRDO missile and weapon-system programmes, including Programme AD, MRSAM (Medium Range Surface to Air Missile), the Nirbhay subsonic cruise missile, Prahar, QRSAM, XRSAM, and work on supporting systems such as hyperbaric chambers, mobile power supplies and high-pressure pneumatic systems.

Later in his career he was promoted to 'F' grade scientist and ultimately served as director of the Research & Development Establishment (Engrs.) in Pune. Under his direction the R&DE pursued a wide range of technology development projects: high-performance servo-drive technology, platform stabilization, alternator technologies, VSCF power solutions, electric propulsion, missile canister technology, autonomous navigation for small unmanned ground vehicles, intelligent robotic manipulators for hazardous environments, and linear electric motor development.

Kurulkar was also among the lead designers on India’s Shakti anti-satellite ballistic missile project, which was successfully tested on 27 March 2019. His written work appears in national and international technical journals, with papers addressing topics such as sensorless control and fault-tolerant drives for permanent magnet synchronous motors and reviews of power supply systems for defence applications.

Honours and memberships

Across his career Kurulkar received multiple awards and recognitions. These include the Science Day Award (2000), the DRDO Agni Award for Excellence in Self-Reliance (2002) for contributions to the Agni missile, a DRDO award for path-breaking research related to Akash (2008), and awards acknowledging performance excellence and technological contributions in subsequent years. Institutions and societies that counted him as a member or fellow include the Institution of Engineers (India), the Fluid Power Society of India, The Robotics Society of India, and lifetime memberships in the Indian National Society for Aerospace and Related Mechanisms and the Institute of Smart Structures and Systems. In January 2023 he was conferred a D.Litt degree by Ajeenkya DY Patil University.

Public profile

Pradeep Kurulkar advanced to a senior H-grade scientist position within DRDO and, according to pay scales cited for that grade, earned a salary figure consistent with H-grade remuneration under the 7th Pay Commission. He has taken part in public talks and technical forums where he shared his professional experience and research insights.

Controversy

In May 2023 the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Maharashtra Police detained Kurulkar and registered a case under the Official Secrets Act following an internal complaint from DRDO vigilance and security officials. The ATS said the matter involved contact with a Pakistani national via social media and messaging platforms, and investigators took his electronic devices into custody to examine the extent of any information disclosed. He was taken into custody about six months prior to his scheduled retirement.

Latest updates

As of the most recent details in the public record, Kurulkar’s arrest in May 2023 and the subsequent investigation by the ATS remain the notable developments in his recent history. Prior to that point he had a long-standing record of technical leadership within DRDO and a portfolio of published research and technology development contributions.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is prepared from the public references listed below and reviewed for clarity. If you spot an outdated detail about Pradeep Kurulkar, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

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Recent Work

Director, Research & Development Establishment (Engrs.)

Led R&DE programmes developing technologies such as high-performance servo drives, autonomous navigation for small UGVs, missile canister technology and related defence systems.

Up to 2023
Lead designer, Shakti anti-satellite ballistic missile

One of the lead designers on the Shakti anti-satellite ballistic missile, tested successfully on 27 March 2019.

2019
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Career Highlights

  1. Joined DRDO's CVRDE in 1988 and developed expertise in missile launchers, robotics and mobile unmanned systems.
  2. Project leader and system manager for the Akash surface-to-air missile programme.
  3. Contributed to Agni missile development and was part of the Shakti anti-satellite missile design team.
  4. Held directorship of R&DE (Engrs.) and led multiple defence technology projects.
  5. Recipient of DRDO awards related to Agni, Akash and MRSAM and other professional honours.
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Pradeep Kurulkar born?

Pradeep Kurulkar was born on 19 November 1963.

What is Pradeep Kurulkar known for?

Pradeep Kurulkar is known for engineer, Scientist.

What is Pradeep Kurulkar’s marital status?

Pradeep Kurulkar's marital status is listed as Married.

Who is Pradeep Kurulkar married to?

Pradeep Kurulkar is publicly listed as married to Bharati Kurulkar.