Sekhar Basu

Sekhar Basu is an Indian nuclear scientist and regarded by many as the architect of the land based Nuclear Submarine Propulsion Plant at Kalpakkam and the 80 mega watt compact pressurised water reactor (PWR), commissioned to power the Arihant-class submarine for the Indian Navy. The Government of India honoured him, in 2014, by awarding him the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, for his contributions to the fields of science and technology.

Conceptual drawing of Arihant 1

Sekhar Basu was born on 20 September 1952 in Kolkata, West Bengal, India and completed his schooling at the Government High School, Ballygunje, Kolkata district. His graduate studies was in mechanical engineering at the Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI), University of Mumbai which he completed in 1974 to join Bhabha Atomic Research Centre training school and did a one-year training programme in nuclear science and engineering.

Basu started his career by joining BARC in their Reactor Engineering Division in 1975 where his initial assignments were in designing fuel for boiling water reactors. In 1988, Basu was transferred to Kalpakkam as the project Director with the responsibility to build India's first compact Pressurised Water Reactor powered by enriched uranium, which he is reported to have accomplished in 2006. He continued his work there to commission India's first shore based nuclear submarine propulsion plant. In 2000, he became the Chief Executive Officer of the Nuclear Recycle Board and is reported to have played a vital role in the establishment of nuclear recycle plants in Kalpakkam, Tarapur and Trombay. He is also credited with the establishment of the India-based Neutrino Observatory in Theni, Tamil Nadu.

In June 2012, Basu was made the Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission image of pressurized water reactor vessel heads

One of the first achievements of Sekhar Basu was his contribution in the development of fuel for boiling water reactors, a feat he achieved while working in the Reactor Engineering Division of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. When Basu was transferred to Kalpakkam, in 1988, as the Director of the BARC facilities there, one of his primary assignments was to oversee the commissioning of India's first pressurized water reactor, in the capacity of the Project Director of the Plutonium Recycling Project (PRP). Six years later, Basu and his team commissioned the shore based reactor which commenced operations on 22 September 2006. The achievement had far reaching impact as this reactor was the prototype for the one that powered Arihant-class submarine, the first indigenously designed and built Indian submarine. In July 2009. The lead vessel in this class, INS Arihant was launched, the vessel beginning sea trials in 2014.

It was under the leadership of Sekhar Basu that the Nuclear Recycle Board, designed, developed and built the reprocessing and waste management plans at Trombay, Tarapur and Kalpakkam. He is also credited with the development of the first Integrated Nuclear Recycle Plant in India. His current activities center around the major expansion prgrammes of BARC in the food and health sectors, particularly in the areas of nuclear agriculture, food preservation and nuclear medicine. He is also overseeing the development of the 1 Gev Superconducting Accelerator and the setting up of a nuclear fuel cycle park with fuel fabrication and reprocessing facilities in Visakhapatnam. His contributions are reported for the setting up of the Fusion Reactor Programme (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor)in France.

Sekhar Basu is also credited with several articles, published in national and international journals.

Sekhar Basu has held many important positions in the nuclear energy field in India such as:

• Director - Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
• Project Director - Nuclear Submarine Programme (BARC)
• Chief Executive - Nuclear Recycle Board (BARC)
• Board Member - Nuclear Power Corporation of India
• Chairman - Project management Board - India-based Neutrino Observatory
• Director - Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam

Basu has represented India at various international agreements such as Arrangements and Procedures agreement with the US Government for reprocessing of US hypothecated fuel. He was a member of the Indian delegation to the Spent Fuel Management Conference organized in Vienna by the International Atomic Energy Agency. He has also held the Chairmanship of the international committee of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor programme (ITER).

Sekhar Basu has been honoured by way of fellowships by many academic institutions such as the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) and the Indian Society for Non Destructive Testing (ISNT). Jadavpur University, Kolkata conferred DLitt (Honoris Causa) on him in 2013, the next year, the Government of India awarded him the civilian honour of Padma Shri. He is also a recipient of DAE Group Achievement Award (2006), Indian Nuclear Society Award (2002) and the DAE Special Achievement Award (2007).