Veteran scientist Rajagopala Chidambaram, who played a key role in the nuclear tests of 1975 and 1998, died on Saturday, an official of the Department of Atomic Energy said, reported news agency PTI. He was 88.
Chidambaram, who was also associated with the nuclear weapons programme, breathed his last at Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai at 3.20 am, the official said, reported PTI.
He was the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Principal Scientific Advisor to the government of India.
Chidambaram was conferred with the Padma Shri and the Padma Vibhushan in 1975 and 1999 respectively.
Dr R Chidambaram coordinated test preparation for the Pokhran-I (1975) and Pokhran-II (1998).
Chidambaram previously served as the principal scientific adviser to the federal Government of India, the director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)— and later as chairman, of the Atomic Energy Commission of the Government of India and he contributed to providing national defence and energy security to India. Chidambaram was chairman of the board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) during 1994–95. He was also a member of the Commission of Eminent Persons appointed by the Director-General, IAEA, in 2008 to prepare a report on “The Role of the IAEA to 2020 and Beyond”.
Throughout his career, Chidambaram played a key role in developing India`s nuclear weapons, being a part of the team conducting the first Indian nuclear test (Smiling Buddha) at the Pokhran Test Range in 1974. He gained international fame when he led and represented the team of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) while observing and leading efforts to conduct the second nuclear tests in May 1998.
(With inputs from PTI)
