Anil Kakodkar

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Anil Kakodkar

Gomant Vibhushan Award (2010)
Maharashtra Bhushan (2011)
G-Files awards (2015)
Scientific career
FieldsMechanical Engineering
InstitutionsAtomic Energy Commission of India
Department of Atomic Energy
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)
Anil Kakodkar
R. Chidambaram
Succeeded bySrikumar Banerjee
The Chairman Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary, Atomic Energy Dr. Anil Kokodkar in 2006

Anil Kakodkar, FNA (born 11 November 1943) is an Indian nuclear physicist and mechanical engineer. He was the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of India and the Secretary to the Government of India, he was the Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay from 1996 to 2000. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian honour, on 26 January 2009.

Apart from playing a major role in India's nuclear tests asserting sovereignty, Kakodkar champions India's self-reliance on thorium as a fuel for nuclear energy.[2]

Early life

Kakodkar was born on 11 November 1943 in

Gandhian freedom fighters. He had his early education at Barwani and at Khargone, until moving to Mumbai
for post-matriculation studies.

Kakodkar graduated from

VJTI, University of Mumbai with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1963. He joined the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in 1964. He obtained a master's degree in experimental stress analysis from the University of Nottingham
in 1969.

Career

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. He worked in the rehabilitation of the two reactors at Kalpakkam and the first unit at Rawatbhata, which at one stage were on the verge of being written off.

In 1996 he became Director of the BARC and since 2000 he has been 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.

He believes that India should be self-reliant in energy, especially by use of the cheap national thorium resources.[3] He continues to engage in designing the Advanced Heavy Water Reactor, that uses thorium-uranium 233 as the 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.[4]

Other positions

  • Kakodkar is a member of many boards, commissions, and other organizations. Some of them are:

Books

Fire and Fury Transforming India's Strategic Identity -- authored by Anil Kakodkar and Suresh Gangotra

Awards

The former President Pratibha Devisingh Patil presenting the Padma Vibhushan to the then Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, Dr. Anil Kakodkar, at the Civil Investiture Ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on March 31, 2009

National awards

Other awards

References

  1. ^ a b c "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  2. ^ Sunderarajan, P. (8 January 2010). "Thorium reactors more secure: Kakodkar". The Hindu.
  3. ^ "India aims to build World's First Thorium ADS".
  4. ^ "Harnessing thorium for nuclear power challenges ahead by Anil Kakodkar at ThEC15". YouTube. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d "Current Key Engagements".
  6. ^ "Home | MKCL".
  7. ^ "Reserve Bank of India - About Us". rbi.org.in. Archived from the original on 7 June 2014.
  8. ^ "Anil Kakodkar to get 'Maharashtra Bhushan' award". news18. 26 April 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  9. ^ Kamat, Prakash (30 May 2010). "India will become energy-independent: Kakodkar". The Hindu. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  10. ^ "First Gomant Vibhushan award presented to Dr Anil Kakodkar". Target Goa. 30 May 2010. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2014.

External links