Telecom Secretary Siddartha Behura is understood to have offered his services to head the ministry's research joint venture with French company Alcatel-Lucent after his superannuation this month.
"The present Secretary (Telecom), Siddartha Behura is superannuating on 30.9.2009 and a regular chairman is required to be appointed for C-DoT Alcatel-Lucent Research Centre. Behura has confirmed his availability for the post of chairman on the terms and conditions of the post," an internal note of the ministry said.
"Why are you asking these questions," Behura said when contacted on phone.
Behura was also earlier reported to be in the reckoning to become Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (Trai) chairman. However, a former telecom secretary J S Sarma was appointed to the post in May this year for a three-year period.
As per an internal DoT note, Behura was given the temporary charge of C-DoT Alcatel-Lucent Research Centre in May.
"... Since election to Parliament are underway and new government is likely to be formed by the end of May, 2009, or in early June, 2009, it may be appropriate for the new government to take a view on the appointment of chairman of the research centre," another DoT note said.