Homi Jehangir Bhabha, a veteran scientist who played a crucial role in India’s atomic energy programme. He laid down the foundation of this ambitious programme and shaped it to larger extent. For his incredible contribution and achieving the goals of India’s atomic programme he is popularly called as the “Father of Indian Nuclear Science.”
Bhabha was born on October 30, 1909, in a Parsi family in Bombay. His father name is Jehangir Bhabha (prominent lawyer) and mother name is Meheren. He did his schooling from the Cathedral and John Connon School. For higher studies he joined Elphinstone College and the Royal Institute of Science (Bombay).
Passion for theoretical physics and “Bhabha Scattering”
Bhabha was very passionate about physics and it always allured him. But to fulfill his family’s wishes he joined mechanical engineering course in the University of Cambridge (England). But his heart and soul was residing in theoretical physics. Ultimately he switched the course and completed his doctorate in 1934. His mentor for this doctoral work was Noble laureate Paul Dirac. The title of his thesis was “On cosmic radiation and the creation and annihilation of positrons and electrons.” He doctoral, famously work known as “Bhabha Scattering,” got international recognition.
Journey as Father of India’s Nuclear Science
Homai Bhabha joined the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Banglore in 1939 under the duidence of Nobel laureate C.V. Raman. He started laying down the foundation stone of India’s ambitious nuclear programme. He started taking steps towards cosmic rays and nuclear physics.
Recognising the potential of atomic energy for national development, Bhabha wrote to the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, emphasising the need for a dedicated nuclear programme. This led to the establishment of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in 1945 in Mumbai, with Bhabha as its founding director.
Atomic Energy Commission (1948)
Bhabha was appointed as the first chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). AEC was established on 10th August 1948. To give further boost to the atomic energy progarmme, the Government of India established India Rare Earths Limited to extract thorium and rare earths from Kerala’s monazite sands. Bhabha was the director of this organisation.
Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay (1954)
To make India self reliant in the realm of atomic energy, Bhabha put ceaseless efforts. He established Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay (AEET) in 1954. Later it was renamed as Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). He gave stress on the need of utilizing atomic energy for electricity generation, agriculture and medical research.
APSARA (1956)
India achieved another mile stone in this field in August 1956. Bhabha achieved the target of the first phase of his plan. APSARA, one-megawatt ‘swimming pool’ research reactor was commissioned. With this India becomes the first Asian country besides the Soviet Union to have nuclear reactor. It helped in producing plutonium. For this reactor, enriched natural uranium fuel was supplied by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Commission.
CIRUS (1960) and Phoenix Plant (1961)
Due to continuous efforts of Bhabha India signed pact with Canada for the construction of natural uranium, heavy water-moderated National Research Experimental (NRX) reactor in Trombay. It went critical on 10th July 1960 and named as Canada India Reactor Utility Service (CIRUS). Its capacity was 40 megawatts and was the Asia’s first highest output reactor at the time. It was the first source of plutonium in India.
Sidewise Bhabha decided to establish plutonium reprocessing plant in Trombay in July 1958. The dream comes true with the beginning of the construction of Phoenix plant in 1961. Its construction was completed in 1964. The plant was based on the Purex technique (plutonium-uranium extraction) meant for extracting plutonium from the used fuel.
CIRUS and Phoenix helped India to produce weapon grade plutonium in 1964. Plutonium produced by these units was used in the India’s 1974 nuclear peaceful explosion.
Death of Bhabha
Homi Bhabha efforts gave a boost to India’s nuclear energy pursuit and inspiration to the coming generations of scientists. Bhabha’s who gave wings to India’s mission in nuclear energy died on 24 January 1966. He died tragic air crash when Air India Flight 101 crashed near Mont Blanc in the Alps. The reason of the crash remained inconclusive. Some theories say suggest that the flight was targeted because of Bhabha’s presence in it. It was targeted and willfully sabotaged but no concrete evidence was found.