Rajagopala Chidambaram

Rajagopala Chidambaram (Tamil:ராஜகோபால சிதம்பரம்) is an Indian nuclear scientist and renowed metallurgist. He is the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India and former Director of India's primary nuclear research facility, BARC. Dr. Chidambaram played a key role in the 1974 nuclear explosion experiment at Pokaran and led the Department of Atomic Energy team in the Pokhran-II tests in May 1998.

Dr. Chidambaram was also one of the members of IAEA's 'Commission of Eminent Persons'. He also played an important role in getting the Safeguards Agreement passed by the Board of IAEA that followed the signing of the Civilian Nuclear Cooperation Agreement between India and the United States of America.

Personal life

Dr. Chidambaram completed his early education in Meerut and Chennai, completed his B.Sc. in Physics scoring first rank in the University level at the University of Madras, Chennai in 1956, and then his M.Sc. in Physics with the specialization in analogue computers) at the same university in 1958. He completed his Ph.D. in nuclear physics, at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore in 1962. His Ph.D., research thesis on Nuclear Magnetic Resonance was awarded the Martin Forster Medal for the best Ph.D thesis submitted to the IISc during 1961-62. He was also awarded the D.Sc. in Metallurgy and in material science, degree by eight Universities.

Career

In 1962, Dr. Chidambaram joined the Bhabha......
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