Rajagopala Chidambaram, a famend physicist and pivotal determine in India’s nuclear programme, handed away on January 4, 2025, on the age of 88. His legacy as a frontrunner in advancing India’s nuclear capabilities stays unparalleled.
Chidambaram performed an instrumental position in each the 1974 “Smiling Buddha” nuclear check and the 1998 Pokhran-II assessments, two landmark moments that cemented India’s standing as a nuclear energy globally.
Early Life and Schooling
Born in 1936, Chidambaram hailed from a powerful tutorial background. He was an alumnus of Chennai’s Presidency Faculty and the distinguished Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru. His tutorial basis laid the groundwork for a profession that will revolutionize India’s scientific and technological panorama.
Pivotal Function in India’s Nuclear Program
Chidambaram’s most vital contribution to India’s protection and scientific prowess was his involvement within the nation’s nuclear programme. As a key determine, he performed an important position within the profitable execution of India’s first nuclear check in 1974, often known as “Smiling Buddha.” This momentous occasion marked India’s entry into the checklist of nuclear-capable nations.
His management continued through the Pokhran-II nuclear assessments in 1998, which additional solidified India’s place as a nuclear energy. Chidambaram’s steerage was instrumental in each these assessments, contributing to the nation’s strategic self-reliance and world stature in nuclear expertise.
A Distinguished Profession in Science and Know-how
Chidambaram’s contributions weren’t restricted to nuclear assessments. He served because the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Authorities of India from 2001 to 2018, and because the Director of the Bhabha Atomic Analysis Centre (BARC) between 1990 and 1993.
From 1993 to 2000, he held the place of Secretary to the Authorities of India and Chairman of the Atomic Power Fee.
Chidambaram was additionally acknowledged internationally, having served because the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Worldwide Atomic Power Company (IAEA) from 1994 to 1995.
Contributions to Scientific Analysis
Other than his position in advancing nuclear expertise, Chidambaram made important contributions to a number of scientific fields, together with high-pressure physics, crystallography, and supplies science. His pioneering analysis laid the muse for contemporary supplies science in India and has had an enduring impression on scientific communities worldwide.
Chidambaram’s work additionally spanned power, healthcare, and technological self-reliance. He spearheaded tasks that contributed to India’s indigenous improvement of supercomputers and was the visionary behind the Nationwide Data Community, which linked academic and analysis establishments throughout the nation.
Awards and Recognitions
Chidambaram’s contributions to science and expertise had been widely known. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1975 and the Padma Vibhushan in 1999, two of India’s highest civilian honors. He additionally obtained honorary doctorates from a number of main universities and was a fellow of assorted Indian and worldwide science academies.
