The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is an agency of the Republic of India, responsible for the development of technology for use by the military, headquartered in New Delhi, India. It was formed in 1958 by the merger of the Technical Development Establishment and the Directorate of Technical Development and Production with the Defence Science Organisation.

DRDO has a network of 52 laboratories which are deeply engaged in developing defence technologies covering various fields, like aeronautics, armaments, electronic and computer sciences, human resource development, life sciences, materials, missiles, combat vehicles development and naval research and development. The organization includes more than 5,000 scientists and about 25,000 other scientific, technical and supporting personnel.

Vijay Kumar Saraswat is an Indian scientist who presently serves as the Director General of the Defence Research and Development Organisation, Secretary of Defence Research and development and the Chief Scientific Advisor to the Minister of Defence.

Saraswat is the key scientist in the development of the Prithvi missile and its introduction in the armed forces. He is a recipient of the Padma Shri from the Government of India.

Born in 1949, he started his career in DARPA in 1972 with development of India's first Liquid Propulsion Engine, DEVIL. Dr Saraswat completed his Bachelors in Engineering from Madhav Institute of Technology & Science, Gwalior, MTech from Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore and obtained a Doctorate in Propulsion Engineering from Osmania University. He established facilities for design, production and testing of engines and the RCS technologies for the missile applications.

As Project Director, he steered the design, development, production and induction of first indigenous surface-to-surface missile system Prithvi into the Armed Forces. The successful testing of missile on-board a moving ship with very Dhanush high terminal accuracy brought new dimensions in the national defence scenario.

"A Whiter Shade of Pale" is the debut song by the British band Procol Harum, released 12 May 1967. The single reached number one in the UK Singles Chart on 8 June 1967, and stayed there for six weeks. Without much promotion, it reached #5 on the US charts, as well. It is one of the fewer than 30 all-time singles to have sold 10 million (or more) copies worldwide.^{[citation needed]}

With its haunting Bach-flavoured instrumental melody, soulful vocals, and unusual lyrics—by the song's co-authors Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, and Matthew Fisher-- "A Whiter Shade of Pale" reached #1 in several countries when released in 1967. In the years since, it has become an enduring classic. It was the most played song in the last 75 years in public places in the UK (as of 2009), and the United Kingdom performing rights group Phonographic Performance Limited in 2004 recognised it as the most-played record by British broadcasting of the past 70 years. Also in 2004, Rolling Stone placed "A Whiter Shade of Pale" #57 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.