Homi
Jehangir Bhabha was a multifaceted personality - scientist, visionary
and institution builder. It was from Bangalore in 1944, Bhabha wrote
his historical letter to the Tata trust for support in setting up a
centre for research work in nuclear science, which could play a central
role in the development of nuclear energy. This was just two years after
1942, when the first experimental demonstration
of nuclear reactor was made in USA. All the more so, the country was
still under the British rule and industrially undeveloped. There was a
clear similarity in vision between the great Jamshedji Nusserwanji Tata
and Bhabha with respect to the need for education, scientific research
and human resource development for economic prosperity. Based on this
letter, Tata Trust supported him to set up a laboratory at Kenilworth,
Bombay. Subsequently, Tata
Institute of Fundamental Research was
formed and large scale research in physics, chemistry, electronics and
mathematics commenced. Thus, Bhabha had converted the difficulty of not
going back abroad to a great opportunity of setting up of front ranking
research facilities within the country.
Bhabha was instrumental
for the formation of Atomic Energy Commission in 1948 and the Department
of Atomic Energy in 1954 and he chalked out a focussed research and
minerals exploration programmes for nuclear energy. He was such a
visionary that he had realized the importance of nuclear power programme
way back in 1950s and enunciated a three stage nuclear programme so as
to meet the energy security of the nation. It consisted of utilization
of natural uranium, plutonium and abundant thorium resources in thermal,
fast and advanced nuclear reactors with closed fuel cycle. He also had
balanced perspective on the role of other energy resources such as
coal, oil and solar. A significant factor that contributed for the
growth of nuclear sciences and its applications was Bhabha's rapport
with the then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal
Nehru, who reposed complete confidence in him.
At a young age of 56, Bhabha suddenly passed away in 1966 due to a plane crash in Switzerland. A vibrant and robust organization, that he had left behind with many signal achievements in nuclear science and technology as well as a dedicated and talented pool of human resources, bears testimony to the visionary zeal of Bhabha. His life was an example forW all of us, which stood for deserve, desire and demonstrate
At a young age of 56, Bhabha suddenly passed away in 1966 due to a plane crash in Switzerland. A vibrant and robust organization, that he had left behind with many signal achievements in nuclear science and technology as well as a dedicated and talented pool of human resources, bears testimony to the visionary zeal of Bhabha. His life was an example forW all of us, which stood for deserve, desire and demonstrate
No comments:
Post a Comment