Anil Kakodkar

Anil Kakodkar is an eminent Indian nuclear scientist, and is the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of India and the Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Atomic Energy. Before leading India's Nuclear Programme, he was the Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay from 1996-2000.

Champion of Self-Reliance

Apart from playing a major role in India's nuclear tests asserting sovereignty , Dr. Kakodkar is a champion of India's self-reliance on Thorium as a fuel for nuclear energy.

Academic and Scientific Career

Kakodkar was born in 1943 (November 11, 1943), in the village of Barawani (present day Madhya Pradesh state) to Mrs. Kamala Kakodkar & Mr. P. Kakodkar, both Gandhian Freedom Fighters. His had his early education in this place & Khargoan, until moving to Bombay for post-matriculation studies.

Kakodkar graduated from Ruparel College, then from VJTI, Bombay University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1963. He joined the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in 1964. He obtained a masters degree in experimental stress analysis from the University of Nottingham in 1969.

He joined the Reactor Engineering Division of the BARC and played a key role in design and construction of the Dhruva reactor, a completely original but high-tech project. He was a part of the core team of architects of India's Peaceful Nuclear Tests in 1974 and 1998. Further he has led the indigenous development in India's Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor Technology. His work in the rehabilitation of the two reactors at Kalpakkam and the first unit at Rawatbhatta, which at one stage were on the verge of being written off, are examples of his engineering capability.

In 1996 he became Director of the BARC and since 2000 he is leading the Atomic Energy Commission of India and also is the secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy.

He has published over 250 scientific papers.

Energy and the Future of Peaceful Nuclear Technology

Making India fully self-reliant in energy, esp. from the cheap national Thorium resources, seems to be his mission statement and he still pursues this dream with great dedication. He has, over the years, built competent teams of highly specialised scientists and engineers in the reactor engineering programme. Today, he continues to engage in designing the Advanced Heavy Water Reactor that uses thorium-uranium 233 as primary energy source with plutonium as the driver fuel. The unique reactor system, with simplified but safe technology, will generate 75 per cent of electricity from thorium.

If Kakodkar's dream comes true, it would have solved India's energy crisis.

Other Positions of Repute

*He is currently the Chairman, Board of Governors, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay.
*He is a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering and served as its President during 1999-2000.
*He is a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, India and the Maharashtra Academy of Sciences.
*He is a member of the International Nuclear Energy Academy, Honorary member of the World Innovation Foundation and Council of Advisers of World Nuclear Association. He was member of the International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group (INSAG) during 1999-2002
*He is on the board of Governors of VJTI, Mumbai
*He is currently the Chairman, Board of Governors, Center for Excellence in Basic Sciences ,Mumbai

National Awards

*Padma Shri in 1998.
*Padma Bhushan in 1999.

Other Awards

*Hari Om Ashram Prerit Vikram Sarabhai Award (1988)
*H. K. Firodia Award for Excellence in Science and Technology (1997)
*Rockwell Medal for Excellence in Technology (1997)
*FICCI Award for outstanding contribution to Nuclear Science and Technology (1997-98)
*ANACON - 1998 Life Time Achievement Award for Nuclear Sciences
*Indian Science Congress Association's H. J. Bhabha Memorial Award (1999-2000)
*Godavari Gaurav Award (2000)
*Dr. Y. Nayudamma Memorial Award (2002)
*Chemtech Foundation's Achiever of the Year Award for Energy (2002)
*Gujar Mal Modi Innovative Science and Technology Award in 2004.

External links

* [http://www.world-nuclear.org/sym/2002/kakodkarbio.htm Biography]
* [http://www.dae.gov.in/aec.htm Atomic Energy Commission of India]