P. K. Iyengar | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1931-06-29)29 June 1931 |
| Died | 21 December 2011(2011-12-21) (aged 80)[2] |
| Known for | Nuclear Program of India Operation Smiling Buddha Operation Shakti Neutron scattering Cold fission |
| Awards | Padma Bhushan (1975) Bhatnagar Award (1971) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Nuclear Physics |
| Institutions | Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Atomic Energy Commission of India Government College University |
| Doctoral advisor | Bertram Neville Brockhouse |
Padmanabhan Krishnagopala Iyengar (29 June 1931 – 21 December 2011), best known asP. K. Iyengar, was anIndiannuclear physicist who is widely known for his central role in the development of thenuclear program ofIndia. Iyengar previously served as the director ofBARC and former chairman of theAtomic Energy Commission of India, and he raised his voice in opposition to thenuclear agreement betweenIndia and theUnited States, and expressed that the deal favoured the United States.[3]
During his last years of his life, Iyenger engaged inpeace activism and greatly exhorted the normalization ofbilateral relations between India and Pakistan.
Iyengar joined the Tata Institute for Fundamental Research,Department of Atomic Energy in 1952 as a junior research scientist, undertaking a wide variety of research inneutron scattering. He later got shifted to Atomic Energy Establishment (later renamed as Bhabha Atomic Research Centre) when it was formed in 1954. In 1956, Iyengar was trained in Canada working underNobel laureate in PhysicsBertram Neville Brockhouse, contributing to path-breaking research on lattice dynamics ingermanium. At the DAE, he built up and headed the team of physicists and chemists that gained international recognition for their original research contributions in this field. In 1960s, he indigenously designed the PURNIMA reactor and headed the team that successfully commissioned the reactor on 18 May 1972 atBARC.
When Ramanna took over as director ofBhabha Atomic Research Centre in 1972, the mantle of directorship of the Physics Group (PG) was handed over to Iyengar. He was one of the key scientist in the development of India's firstnuclear device. The team, underRaja Ramanna tested the device under the code nameSmiling Buddha on 18 May 1974. Iyengar played a leading role in thepeaceful nuclear explosion atPokharan-I, for which he was conferred thePadma Bhushan in 1975.
Iyengar took over as Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in 1984. As director, one of his first tasks was to take charge of the construction of theDhruva reactor, the completion of which was then in question, and bring it to a successful conclusion under his leadership. Recognizing the importance of transferring newly developed technology from research institutes to industry, he introduced a Technology Transfer Cell at the BARC to assist and speed the process. He motivated basic research in fields ranging from molecular biology, to chemistry and material science. He nucleated new technologies like lasers and accelerators, which led to the establishment of a new Centre for Advanced Technology, at Indore.
Iyengar was appointed chairman of theAtomic Energy Commission of India and secretary to theDepartment of Atomic Energy in 1990. He was also appointed as chairman of theNuclear Power Corporation of India. Under his leadership the Department of Atomic Energy vigorously pursued the nuclear power programme with the commissioning of two new power reactors at Narora and Kakrapar, and continued with the development of new reactor systems, such asliquid-sodium based fast reactors. Equal emphasis was laid on enhanced production ofheavy water,nuclear fuel and special nuclear materials. He also initiated proposals for the export of heavy-water, research reactors, hardware for nuclear applications to earn precious foreign exchange.
Regarding Iyengar's involvement in Indian cold fusion research, the Indian newspaperDaily News and Analysis wrote: "Iyengar also pioneered cold fusion experiments in the 1980s to prove the hypothesis that nuclear fusion can occur at ordinary temperatures under certain scenarios. The experiments were discontinued after Iyengar's exit from the nuclear establishment by some conservative scientists."[4]
Iyengar has been the recipient of many high civilian awards and honours. After retirement Iyengar served in various positions such as member of theAtomic Energy Commission, scientific advisor to theGovernment of Kerala, on the board of the Global Technology Development Centre, president of the Indian Nuclear Society, and a member of the Inter-governmental Indo-French Forum, besides serving on various national committees. Iyengar’s later interests focused on advances in nuclear technology for nuclear applications, issues of nuclear policy andnational security,science education and the application ofscience in nation-building. He participated in various international meetings on non-proliferation issues. Most recently, as a founder trustee of theAgastya International Foundation, he focused on rural education and instilling creativity and scientific temperament in rural children and government school teachers. He was instrumental in drawing the support of theHomi Bhabha Centre for Science Education to help launch Agastya’s rural science fairs and its first mobile science lab in 2002.