Rajagopala Chidambaram facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rajagopala Chidambaram
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Chidambaram at the 2008 annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
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| 2nd Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India | |
| In office 2002–2018 |
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| President | A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Pratibha Patil Pranab Mukherjee Ram Nath Kovind |
| Prime Minister | Atal Bihari Vajpayee Manmohan Singh Narendra Modi |
| Preceded by | A. P. J. Abdul Kalam |
| Succeeded by | K. Vijayraghavan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 November 1936 Madras, Madras Province, British India (now Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India) |
| Died | 4 January 2025 (aged 88) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Residences | New Delhi, India |
| Alma mater | University of Madras, Indian Institute of Science |
| Known for | Nuclear weapons programme
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| Awards | Padma Shri (1975), Padma Vibhushan (1999) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Physics |
| Institutions | Atomic Energy Commission (India) Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai Department of Atomic Energy International Atomic Energy Agency Defence Research and Development Organisation Indian Institute of Technology University of Hyderabad |
Rajagopala Chidambaram (11 November 1936 – 4 January 2025) was an important Indian physicist. He is best known for his big role in India's nuclear program. He helped prepare for India's first nuclear test, called Smiling Buddha (Pokhran-I) in 1974. He also led the team for the second series of tests, Operation Shakti (Pokhran-II) in 1998.
Chidambaram also served as the main scientific adviser to the Indian government. He was the director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). Later, he became the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of India. His work helped keep India safe and secure its energy supply. He was also the chairman of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board from 1994 to 1995.
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Early Life and Education
Rajagopala Chidambaram was born on November 11, 1936. He grew up in Meerut and Chennai, India. He studied physics at the University of Madras and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 1956. He was the top student in his class.
He continued his studies and received his Master of Science degree in physics in 1958. He then went to the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) for his advanced studies. In 1962, he earned his PhD. His research was about Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. He won the Martin Forster Medal for his excellent PhD work.
A Shift in Focus
After his PhD, Chidambaram became very interested in crystallography and condensed matter physics. These fields study how materials are structured and how they behave. His work helped develop modern materials science. He later received another high degree, a Doctor of Science (D.Sc.), from IISc for his experiments. He also received D.Sc. degrees from many other Indian universities.
After the 1974 nuclear test, Chidambaram started studying high pressure physics. This involves looking at how materials act under extreme pressure. He helped build special tools for this research, like diamond presses and gas guns. His work in this area is still very important for scientists today.
Role in India's Nuclear Program
After getting his PhD, Chidambaram joined the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). He became a senior nuclear scientist and worked on many secret projects. He was a key person in building India's nuclear program.
In 1967, he joined the team designing nuclear weapons. He and his colleagues studied how plutonium behaves. This information is still kept secret by countries with nuclear weapons. He helped develop the implosion method for nuclear devices. He also helped the Indian Army build a nuclear test site at the Pokhran Test Range in Rajasthan.
Leading Nuclear Tests
Chidambaram was part of the team that oversaw India's first nuclear test, codenamed Smiling Buddha, in 1974. He was honored by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi for his work. In 1990, he became the Director of BARC.
He played a very important part in the design and success of Smiling Buddha. Because of this, he led the team for the second series of nuclear tests, Operation Shakti, in May 1998. As director of BARC, he also started the development of supercomputers in India. During his time as chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, he helped speed up the growth of nuclear power in India.
Principal Scientific Adviser
Dr. R. Chidambaram served as the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India until March 2018. He also chaired the Scientific Advisory to the Cabinet. In these roles, he started many important projects.
He helped set up groups to improve how universities and industries work together in the car sector. He also created Rural Technology Action Groups (RuTAGs). These groups help bring useful technology to rural areas. He also helped create the Society for Electronic Transactions and Security (SETS).
In recent years, he helped create the 'National Knowledge Network'. This high-speed network connects about 1,500 schools and research centers across India. He believed in 'Coherent Synergy' in India's science and technology efforts. This means working together effectively to help India grow quickly. He also stressed the importance of 'Directed Basic Research'. This is basic research focused on specific goals.
Awards and Recognitions
Chidambaram received many awards and honors for his contributions. The Indian government recognized his work on the nuclear tests. He received the Padma Shri in 1975, which is the fourth highest civilian honor in India. In 1999, he received the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian honor.
He also received many other awards, including:
- The Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Indian Institute of Science (1991).
- The C.V. Raman Birth Centenary Award (1995).
- The Distinguished Materials Scientist of the Year Award (1996).
- The R.D. Birla Award (1996).
- The H. K. Forodia Award for Excellence in Science & Technology (1998).
- The Hari Om Prerit Senior Scientist Award (2000).
- The Meghnad Saha Medal (2002).
- The INS Homi Bhabha Lifetime Achievement Award (2006).
- The Life Time Contribution Award in Engineering (2009).
- The C.V. Raman Medal.
- The Rajiv Gandhi Outstanding Leadership National Award (2011).
He was also given honorary D.Sc. degrees by more than twenty universities. He was a Fellow of all the science Academies in India and The World Academy of Science (TWAS). He served as a member or chairman of many important organizations, including IIT-Madras and IIT-Bombay.
Death
Rajagopala Chidambaram passed away on January 4, 2025, in Mumbai. He was 88 years old.
