Rajagopala Chidambaram

Who is Rajagopala Chidambaram?

Rajagopala Chidambaram, popularly known as R. Chidambaram is an Indian condensed matter physicist and nuclear scientist, currently serving as the principal scientific adviser to the federal Government of India. Previously, Rajagopala Chidambaram served as the director of the premium Bhabha Atomic Research Centre — and latter as Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission of the Government of India and he contributed in providing national defence and energy security to India. Dr. Chidambaram was Chairman of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency during 1994-95. He was also a member of the Commission of Eminent Persons appointed by the Director-General, IAEA, in 2008 to prepare a report on “The Role of the IAEA to 2020 and Beyond”. Throughout his career, Chidambaram played a key role in developing the Indian nuclear programme, first being a part of the team conducting the first nuclear test at Pokran Test Range in 1974. He gained international fame when he led and represented the team of the Department of Atomic Energy while observing and leading efforts to conduct second nuclear tests in May 1998.