Senior nuclear scientist Dr Balasubramanian Venkatraman is new Director of IGCAR

The Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), established in the year 1971, is engaged in broad based multidisciplinary programme of scientific research and advanced engineering directed towards the development of Fast Breeder Reactor technology.

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Chennai: Dr Balasubramanian Venkatraman, a veteran scientist with a research career spanning 37 years has taken over as Director of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu. A pioneer in the field of Nuclear research, the spinoffs of his scientific work has been used in diverse domains such as space, defence, medicine, art, archaeology among others. 

IGCAR was established in the year 1971, under the Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India. The centre is engaged in broad based multidisciplinary programme of scientific research and advanced engineering directed  towards the development of  Fast Breeder Reactor technology. 

Fast Breeder Test Reactor based on unique mixed Plutonium Uranium Carbide fuel, First of its kind in the world and KAMINI Reactor, the only operating Reactor in the World using U233 fuel are successfully operated here. The design of 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor is completed and the construction is in progress, at the facility. 

Dr Balasubramanian had offered solutions to various technological challenges in the nuclear, strategic and core industries by methods of Non destructive Evaluation(NDE). NDE refers to analysis techniques used in the field of engineering and technology, where the properties and characteristics of a material/component are evaluated without causing it physical damage. Because of how this technique functions, the said part can be used after the test, thus saving time, effort and cost. 

According to IGCAR, his significant contributions were, “Procedures for X-ray and neutron radiography of highly irradiated fuel pins, comprehensive NDE for evaluation of tube to tube sheet welds of PFBR steam generator and radiometric testing of shielding structures”. 
It added that he has been primarily responsible for establishing the conventional, digital X-ray, neutron radiography and thermal imaging facilities at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam. He was part of the Department of Atomic Energy team to review the Quality Assurance aspects of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant 1&2. 

For defence and aerospace industries, he had developed techniques for evaluation and life extension of tail rotor blades of Mi-8 and Mi-17 defence helicopters, training of over 100 IAF personnel in NDE.  

His expertise had also been utilised by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for solving challenging NDE problems pertaining to the initial PSLV and GSLV, qualification of Ti-6Al-4V alloy satellite gas bottles, and earth sensors of INSAT. He developed the Neutron radiography procedure for examination of pyro devices using KAMINI reactor. 

In the fields of art, archaeology and national heritage conservation, he helped develop and apply NDE methods based on radiography and X-ray fluorestcence for Bronze artefacts. 

Dr Venkatraman also made an in-depth study into the ancient method of lost wax process used for casting such bronzes and this expertise was used to fabricate the tallest Nataraja statue in the world. He succeeds Dr AK Bhaduri as Director IGCAR and Director GSO.