Dr. Rajagopala Chidambaram's Passing Marks a Profound Loss for India's Scientific Community
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New Delhi, Jan 4 (NationPress) The passing of esteemed nuclear scientist, Dr. Rajagopala Chidambaram, is an unrecoverable loss for India’s scientific community, stated scientists on Saturday.
Chidambaram was a renowned physicist and one of India's most celebrated scientists. He departed this life at the age of 88, early this morning at 3:20 AM in Mumbai.
"Dr. Chidambaram was a pioneering figure in science and technology whose substantial contributions enhanced India’s nuclear capabilities and fostered strategic independence. His absence is a deep loss for both the scientific community and the nation," remarked Dr. Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy, in a statement.
“Chidambaram was not only a scientist but also a leader of large teams on significant projects. Such a combination is typical within the Department of Atomic Energy in India. His departure signifies the conclusion of an era in Indian science and technology, connecting the initial phases of India’s contemporary scientific journey to the current advancements,” K. Vijayraghavan, Former Principal Scientific Adviser, noted in a social media post on platform X.
Dr. Chidambaram was crucial in developing India's nuclear capabilities, establishing the country as a nuclear power globally.
He played a key role in the nation’s inaugural nuclear test in 1974 and led the Department of Atomic Energy during the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998.
The esteemed scientist held various prestigious positions throughout his illustrious career, including Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India (2001–2018), Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (1990-1993), and Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission as well as Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Atomic Energy (1993-2000).
“During his term as Principal Scientific Adviser, initiatives such as the Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG) were launched, empowering rural communities through innovative technologies, the Society for Electronic Transactions and Security (SETS) aimed at enhancing India’s cybersecurity and hardware security infrastructure, and the National Knowledge Network (NKN) to connect educational and research institutions nationwide, addressing the issue of ‘Access to Knowledge’,” stated the Office of Principal Scientific Adviser to GoI in a post on X.
His leadership was crucial in establishing the Nanoelectronics Programmes in India, which paved the way for the current India Semiconductor Mission,” added V. Ramgopal Rao, Group Vice-Chancellor of BITS Pilani Campuses, in a post on X.
Born in 1936, Dr. Chidambaram was an alumnus of Presidency College, Chennai, and the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.
Dr. Chidambaram was awarded the coveted Padma Shri in 1975 and the Padma Vibhushan in 1999.
He also received honorary doctorates from several universities and was a fellow of prominent Indian and international science academies.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Union Ministers JP Nadda, Jitendra Singh, Pratap Rao Jadhav, Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of the Opposition, among others, also paid heartfelt tributes to the veteran scientist.
