Dr Surinder Singh, Additional Director of Central Research Institute, Kasauli, Simla has been appointed new Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). He succeeds Dr M Venkateshwarlu who retired from the post yesterday.

Dr Singh assumed charge today as the new DCGI.

The appointment of Dr Singh as the new DCGI has come as a big surprise to both the industry as well as the officials as the present DCGI Dr Venkateshwarlu's name was under the active consideration of the Union Health Ministry for extension for at least three months. But, the order appointing Dr Singh as the new DCGI came very late from the Prime Minister's office.

Dr Singh, additional director at the Central Research Institute, Kasauli in Himachal Pradesh assumed the charge officially this morning, sources at the DCGI office confirmed. He was heading the Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) of the CRI besides being in-charge of the Regional Drugs Testing Laboratory at Chandigarh.

Dr Venkateshwarulu, who has been on a six-month extension as the DCGI, handed over the charge to Dr Singh after his term completed yesterday. Though he was tipped to get another extension, it is learnt that the PMO backed a new hand in the top slot for the pharma sector.

Dr Surinder Singh, having done his MBBS and MD, has been in the quality control arena for long time and spent considerable time at CRI itself. He also served as deputy director (quality control) at the National Biological Institute earlier.

Dr Venkateshwarulu had taken over as the DCGI in September 2006, replacing Ashwini Kumar.