Obituary: Architect of India’s nuclear milestones

In May last year, atomic scientist Rajagopala Chidambaram, speaking at an event to mark the golden jubilee of India’s first nuclear test, highlighted how the country had defied predictions of economic doom following its nuclear tests in 1974 and later in 1998.

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“Since then, the economy has grown exponentially, with foreign exchange reserves rising,” said Chidambaram, former Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC).

The scientist, who played a pivotal role in both historic tests, passed away on Saturday, taking with him invaluable insights into the growth of India’s nuclear programme, including its acquisition of nuclear weapons.

A flurry of condolence messages followed his death, including one from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Chidambaram served as Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the government from November 2001 to March 2018, working with Prime Ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi.

In his book, ‘India Rising: Memoir of a Scientist’, Chidambaram provided a detailed account of his role in both nuclear tests. He revealed that the 1998 tests were initially planned for 1996 but were delayed.

In 1996, after Vajpayee became Prime Minister, he authorised the tests. However, a no-confidence motion was moved against his government in Parliament. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam and Chidambaram advised the PM to wait for the motion’s outcome before proceeding. Vajpayee, who had initially smiled at their suggestion, eventually agreed to postpone the tests. The operation was halted even though the main device had already been placed in the chamber and sealed.

The tests were ultimately conducted in May 1998, with the extra time allowing the team to test more sophisticated devices, including three sub-kiloton devices.

A recipient of the Padma Shri (1975) and Padma Vibhushan (1999), Dr Chidambaram’s groundbreaking contributions to condensed matter physics, nuclear energy and strategic technologies form a lasting legacy.

In a condolence message, the office of the PSA noted that as Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Union Cabinet, Chidambaram championed advancements in energy security, materials science, supercomputing and nanotechnology.

During his tenure as PSA, he spearheaded initiatives such as the Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG), which empowered rural communities through innovative technologies; the Society for Electronic Transactions and Security (SETS), which advanced India’s cybersecurity and hardware security infrastructure; and the National Knowledge Network, which connected educational and research institutions across the country to improve access to knowledge.