Dr R. Chidambaram, the architect behind Operation Smiling Buddha died today in the morning in Mumbai at the age of 88. Chidambaram was an alumnus of Presidency College, Chennai, and the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.
He is nuclear physicist by training and a man known for his valour in safeguarding India’s national secret. Chidambaram was a key pioneer, who played an important role in both Pokhran nuclear tests in 1974 and 1998. He served as the Chairman of India’s Atomic Energy Commission and later joined as the Principal Scientific Adviser of the Government of India.
Chidambaram began his illustrious career at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in 1962, where he worked on various classified projects, including the development of nuclear weapons.
Chidambaram was awarded with the prestigious Padma Vibhushan award – highest civilian honor for making India, a powerful nuclear state.
Role of Dr R Chidambaram In Operation Shakti
The nuclear scientist headed the nuclear component of Operation Shakti at Pokhran in 1998.
Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy Dr Ajit Kumar Mohanty highlighted, “Dr Chidambaram was a doyen of science and technology whose contributions furthered India’s nuclear prowess and strategic self-reliance. His loss is an irreparable one for the scientific community and the nation”.
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In 1974, Dr Chidambaram, diligently carried the “plutonium ball” in his chest, when India secretly transported plutonium used in atomic blasts. He is also believed to coin the term “peaceful nuclear explosion” in the 1974 Pokhran nuclear test. His role in the nuclear bomb tests closed gates for scientists in foreign countries, for he was denied for Visa.
Autobiography of Dr R Chidambaram
In his autobiography India Rising, he highlights the leadership in leading the nuclear bomb test in Pokhran in 1974. He had a major contribution in making nuclear weapons in cooperation with the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
In a statement, the Department of Atomic Energy said, “Dr Rajagopala Chidambaram, an eminent physicist and one of India’s most distinguished scientists, passed away this morning (4 January, 2025) at 3:20 am. Dr Chidambaram’s unparalleled contributions to India’s scientific and strategic capabilities and his visionary leadership in science and technology will forever be remembered”.
The nuclear scientist, had a prominent presence holding respectable positions including, Director of BARC, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, and Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India. He was instrumental in advancing India’s nuclear research and development, and his contributions to the field of nuclear physics have been widely recognized.
