When India shook the world
On the morning of May 18, 1974, as the popular Bollywood song “Hum Tum Ek Kamre Mein Band Ho...” played on Akashvani Delhi, the broadcast was suddenly interrupted at 9 am. The country was stunned by a historic announcement: India had successfully conducted its first nuclear test at 8.05 am in the deserts of Pokhran, Rajasthan.
Codenamed 'Smiling Buddha', the test wasn’t just about a scientific achievement — it was about asserting India’s strategic independence. Though officially called a 'peaceful nuclear explosion', the message was loud and clear: India had arrived on the global nuclear map.
The journey to this moment began years earlier. In 1972, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had quietly approved the project. It was a closely guarded secret, known only to a handful in the government and top scientists. The actual work of assembling the bomb started on May 13, 1974, under Dr Homi N Sethna, the then Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, and a team of brilliant scientists, including Dr R Chidambaram, Dr Raja Ramanna, PK Iyengar, and SK Sikka.
By May 15, the device was ready and placed in a shaft deep under the Thar desert. When Dr Sethna met Indira Gandhi and said, “We can’t pull back now,” she simply replied, “Go ahead.” The next day, he flew back to Pokhran to oversee final preparations. There was tension — not about international reaction, but whether the test would work. When Sethna asked who would take responsibility if it failed, Chidambaram calmly said, “I will... but then, physics will also have failed.”
The team set up viewing platforms ('machans') about 5 km from the blast site. Among the key people watching were DRDO chief BD Nagchaudhuri, Army Chief Gen GG Bewoor, and several senior scientists. At 8 am, a final check was underway when the jeep carrying scientist VS Sethi broke down. Sethi walked 2 km to the control room. Sethna asked what to do with the abandoned jeep. General Bewoor replied, “Blow the damn thing up!” But luckily, jawans towed it away just in time. The test was delayed by 5 minutes.
At 8.05 am, the device was triggered. The earth shook. A bright orange-yellow mushroom cloud rose. India had become the sixth nation to successfully conduct a nuclear test.
Dr Chidambaram later called it “the happiest day of my life”. The test was named 'Smiling Buddha' because it was conducted on Buddha Purnima, reflecting India's claim of peaceful intent.
Though the world, especially Canada and the US, condemned the test, for India it was a moment of pride. It showed that even with limited resources and under intense scrutiny, Indian scientists could achieve world-class results.
Fifty years later, 'Smiling Buddha' remains a symbol of India’s scientific excellence, strategic maturity, and quiet confidence.
