• Eminent physicist Rajagopala Chidambaram, who played a key role in the nuclear tests of 1974 and 1998, passed away in Mumbai on January 4. He was 88.

• A world-class physicist and an astute science administrator, Chidambaram made legendary contributions to the field of nuclear physics, besides introducing innovative technologies to empower communities in rural India. 

Chidambaram held numerous prestigious positions

• Born on November 12, 1936, in Chennai, Chidambaram did his initial schooling at the Sanatan Dharam High School in Meerut. From eighth standard onwards, he studied at the PS High School at Mylapore in Chennai and graduated from the Presidency College. 

• Chidambaram did his postgraduate studies at Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru.

• As a world-class physicist, Chidambaram’s research in high-pressure physics, crystallography, and materials science significantly advanced the scientific community's understanding of these fields. His pioneering work in these areas laid the foundation for modern materials science research in India.

• Chidambaram held numerous prestigious positions during his six-decade career.

• Chidambaram joined the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in 1962 and rose to become its director in 1990. 

• In 1993, he helmed the country’s nuclear programme as chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and as secretary in the Department of Atomic Energy, a post he held till 2000.

• He also served as chairman of the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) (1994-1995).

• Post retirement, he was appointed as the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the government of India in 2001, a post he held till 2018. 

• As PSA, Chidambaram steered India’s forays in the fields of nano-electronics, implemented the National Knowledge Network, and set up Rural Technology Action Groups (RuTAG) to find rural applications for advanced technologies.

• He was instrumental in initiating India’s indigenous development of supercomputers and conceptualising the National Knowledge Network, which connected research and educational institutions across the country.

• An ardent advocate of applying science and technology to national development, Chidambaram established programmes such as Rural Technology Action Groups and Society for Electronic Transactions and Security, and emphasised coherent synergy in India’s scientific efforts.

• He championed initiatives in areas such as energy, healthcare and strategic self-reliance, and steered numerous projects that significantly advanced India's science and technology landscape.

• He was honoured with prestigious accolades, including the Padma Shri in 1975 and the Padma Vibhushan in 1999. He also received honourary doctorates from several universities and was a fellow of eminent Indian and international science academies.

Nuclear tests in Pokhran

• Chidambaram will be best known for his contributions to India’s nuclear weapons programme with which he had been associated since 1967, when peaceful nuclear explosion technology was much talked about globally.

• As part of Operation Smiling Buddha — the 1974 nuclear tests — Chidamaram was known to have personally brought the plutonium from Mumbai to Pokhran in Rajasthan.

• He had famously donned army fatigues along with the then Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chairman A.P.J. Abdul Kalam while working on the Pokhran-II tests — dubbed Operation Shakti — in 1998.

• Chidambaram was at the helm of India’s atomic programme when five nuclear tests were conducted on May 11 and May 13 in 1998.

• Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee then declared India as a nuclear weapons state.

• Among the five nuclear tests was also the thermo-nuclear device, popularly known as the neutron bomb.

• Vajpayee’s visit to ground zero in Pokhran days after the nuclear tests were conducted also was a testimony to the fact that there was no radioactivity contamination at the site.

• ‘Operation Smiling Buddha’ marked India’s entry into the group of nuclear powers. It raised India’s credible deterrence and strengthened national security, particularly in light of regional geopolitical challenges.

Context of War and Threats:

• ‘Operation Smiling Buddha’ was a pivotal moment in India’s nuclear history, establishing its position as a nuclear power and laying the foundation for subsequent nuclear developments, including Pokhran-II in 1998.

• India had already faced three wars by the time of the 1974 test — the 1962 war with China, and the 1965 and 1971 wars against Pakistan.

• China’s nuclear tests in 1964 were seen as a direct challenge to India’s security, prompting India to explore nuclear technology for self-defence and strategic advantage.

• Technological Significance: The successful test demonstrated India’s technological prowess in nuclear research and its capability to develop nuclear weapons indigenously. It showcased the country’s advancement in nuclear science and its ability to use plutonium for fission in a compact, efficient device.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)