Tag: INDIA’S NUCLEAR PROGRAMME

Eminent physicist and former Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), Rajagopala Chidambaram, passed away. Key architect of India’s nuclear programme and played a crucial role in nuclear tests. Key Contributions of Dr. Rajagopala Chidambaram Scientific Achievements: Solved the "equation of state" for plutonium (1967), advancing nuclear fission and materials science. Led India’s indigenous supercomputer development. Leadership in Nuclear Tests: Smiling Buddha (1974) – India’s first nuclear test. Operation Shakti (1998) – Pokhran-II nuclear tests. Key Positions: Director of BARC, Chairman of AEC, Chairman of IAEA Board of Governors. Principal Scientific Advisor (2002-2018) – Led RuTAG & National Knowledge Network (NKN). Awards: Padma Shri (1975) and Padma Vibhushan (1999) for contributions to science. India’s 3-Stage Nuclear Power Programme Designed for long-term energy security and efficient use of nuclear resources. Proposed by Homi Bhabha to harness limited uranium and abundant thorium reserves. Stages of the Programme Stage Objective Fuel/Moderator Reactor Type Current Status Stage 1 Generate electricity while producing plutonium-239 (Pu-239) as a byproduct. Fuel: Uranium-238 (U-238) Moderator: Heavy Water (D₂O) Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) 18 PHWRs operational in India. Stage 2 Reactors (FBRs) to convert U-238 into Pu-239, ensuring sustainable fuel supply. Fuel: Mixed Oxide of Pu-239 & U-238 Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs) Prototype FBR at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, under development. Stage 3 Utilize Thorium-232 to produce Uranium-233, ensuring long-term energy security. Fuel: Thorium-232 (converted into U-233) Thorium-Based Reactors (AHWR) Research ongoing; AHWR in development. India’s Nuclear Weapons Programme Smiling Buddha (1974): India’s first nuclear test at Pokhran, Rajasthan. Made India the sixth nuclear-capable nation after USA, USSR, UK, France, and China. Operation Shakti (1998): Series of five nuclear tests under Pokhran-II. Included thermonuclear bomb testing, demonstrating advanced nuclear capability. Dr. Chidambaram’s contributions were pivotal in making India a nuclear power. India’s three-stage nuclear programme aims to achieve energy self-sufficiency using thorium. Nuclear tests in 1974 & 1998 established India’s strategic and scientific prowess.

Tag: INDIA’S NUCLEAR PROGRAMME

INDIA’S NUCLEAR PROGRAMME

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