Quick Info
| Profession | Engineer, Scientist |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Date of Birth | 19/11/1963 |
| Age | 62 years |
| Birthplace | Pune, Maharashtra |
Latest News about Pradeep Kurulkar
18/06/2026
A Pune court framed charges against Pradeep Kurulkar under the Official Secrets Act, advancing the espionage case toward trial. The proceedings were moved into the next phase as the court prepared for an in-camera hearing scheduled to begin in July 2026.
15/04/2026
The Bombay High Court rejected Pradeep Kurulkar’s bail plea in the espionage case, citing allegations that he shared sensitive defence information during chats with a suspected Pakistani intelligence operative. The court also considered the risk of absconding and witness influence while keeping him in custody.
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Bio/Wiki
| Full Name: Pradeep M. Kurulkar | |
| Hometown: Pune, Maharashtra | |
| Zodiac Sign: Scorpio | |
| Age at Arrest: 62 |
Physical Stats & More
| Height | 173 cm |
|---|---|
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Hair Color | Salt and Pepper |
Educational Qualification(s)
| College/University |
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| Qualification |
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Personal Life
| Pradeep was born into a Marathi Hindu family. | |
| He hails from a family of mathematicians. | |
| His grandfather was an RSS volunteer who worked as a mathematician. | |
| His father was also associated with the RSS. | |
| He has been an active RSS volunteer since age 5 and considers RSS shakha an integral part of his daily life. |
Relationships & More
| Marital Status | Married | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family |
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Family
| Spouse | Bharati Kurulkar |
|---|---|
| Children | Keyur Kurulkar (engineer, musician) |
Career
| Joined Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (CVRDE), a DRDO facility in Pune, in 1988. | |
| Specialized in design and development of missile launchers, military engineering equipment, advanced robotics, and mobile unmanned systems. | |
| Promoted to 'F' grade scientist at Research & Development Establishment (Engineers) (R&DE) in Pune. | |
| One of the lead designers of India's first Anti-Satellite Ballistic Missile, Shakti, successfully tested on 27 March 2019. | |
| Became Director of R&DE (Engineers) in Pune. | |
| DRDO Service Years: 1988 until arrest in May 2023. | |
| DRDO Grade: H Grade. | |
| Received D.Litt from Ajeenkya DY Patil University, Pune. | |
| Awards: Science Day award for best publication (2000), DRDO Agni Award for Excellence in Self-Reliance (2002), DRDO Award for Path-breaking Research/Outstanding technology development for AKASH (2008), DRDO Award for Performance Excellence for MRSAM (2016), Award for Excellence of Technology by DEMA (2016). | |
| Fellow of Institution of Engineers (India). | |
| Project leader for the Akash Surface to Air Missile project at DRDO. | |
| Collaborated with Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam on the Agni Inter Continental Ballistic Missile. | |
| Held a diplomatic passport and travelled to five to six countries. |
Social Media
| https://www.linkedin.com/in/pradeep-kurulkar-69239a11 |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. Pradeep Kurulkar is an Indian engineer and a former DRDO scientist. | |
| 2. He worked on various military research projects at DRDO. | |
| 3. In May 2023, he made headlines when he was arrested by the Maharashtra Police's ATS for sharing classified information with Pakistani agents. | |
| 4. Born in Maharashtra, he hails from a Marathi Hindu Family. | |
| 5. He started his career at CVRDE, a DRDO research facility in Pune, in 1988. | |
| 6. During his tenure at CVRDE, Pradeep specialized in designing military equipment like missile launchers and robotics. | |
| 7. He later became the project leader for the Akash Surface to Air Missile project at DRDO. | |
| 8. Pradeep collaborated with Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam to work on the Agni Inter Continental Ballistic Missile. | |
| 9. He has led the design and development of various DRDO missile systems. | |
| 10. Pradeep was eventually promoted to an 'F' grade scientist at R&DE in Pune. | |
| 11. He played a significant role in designing India's first Anti-Satellite Ballistic Missile, Shakti. | |
| 12. After the successful testing of the Shakti missile, he became the director of R&DE. | |
| 13. Under his leadership, R&DE developed various technologies in different fields. | |
| 14. Pradeep's research articles have been published in national and international scientific journals. | |
| 15. In 2023, he was arrested six months before his retirement by the ATS. | |
| 16. He has been honored with memberships from several Indian scientific societies for his contributions to research. | |
| 17. Pradeep has shared his knowledge through talk shows on multiple platforms. | |
| 18. He has been an active RSS volunteer since age 5 and considers RSS shakha an integral part of his daily life. | |
| 19. He held a diplomatic passport and had travelled to five to six countries. | |
| 20. Colleagues described him as a 'taskmaster who is good at resolving conflicts', a 'multifaceted scientist', and a 'talkative boss who loves telling stories'. |