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Homi Nusserwanji Sethna(24 August 1923 – 5 September 2010) was an Indiannuclear scientistand achemical engineer,gaining international fame as the Chairman of theAtomic Energy Commission(India) during the time when the first nuclear test, codenameSmiling BuddhainPokhran Test Rangein 1974 was conducted.[1][2]He was the primary and central figure in India's civilian nuclear program as well as the construction of nuclear power plants. In 1991, he was appointed asSheriff of Mumbai.
Homi Nusserwanji Sethna | |
|---|---|
| Born | 24 August 1923 |
| Died | 5 September 2010(aged 87) |
| Nationality | • British India(1923-1947)•  India(1947-2010) |
| Alma mater | University Department of Chemical Technology University of Michigan Ann Arbor |
| Known for | Indian nuclear programme Smiling Buddha Operation Shakti |
| Awards | Padma Shri(1959) Padma Bhushan(1966) Padma Vibhushan(1975) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Chemical Engineering |
| Institutions | Atomic Energy Commission of India |
Homi Sethna | |
|---|---|
| Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission of India | |
| In office 1972-1983 | |
| Preceded by | Vikram Sarabhai |
| Succeeded by | Raja Ramanna |
| Sheriff of Mumbai | |
| In office 1991-1992 | |
| Preceded by | Saad Alim Bagban |
| Succeeded by | Bakul Rajani Patel |
He was awarded the second highest civilian award thePadma Vibhushanin 1975, byGovernment of India.
Earlier in his career, he had full technical responsibility for setting up of theThoriumextraction plant atAlwaye,KeralaIndia, for separation of rare earth frommonazitesands.
Early life and education
editHomi Sethna was born to aParsifamily on 24 August 1923 inBombay(now Mumbai).[3]He did his schooling fromSt. Xavier's High School, Fort,Bombay.[4]He studiedchemical engineeringatUniversity Department of Chemical Technologyand theUniversity of MichiganAnn Arbor.
Homi Sethna's younger brother was the noted lawyer Rusi Sethna. Incidentally, Rusi Sethna's daughter, Behrouz Mistry, is the wife of Shapoorji Mistry, elder son ofPallonji Mistryand elder brother ofCyrus Mistry.
Career
editHe was formerly Chairman ofAtomic Energy Commission,in 1976 he became the first chairman ofMaharashtra Academy of Sciences,located in Pune, Maharashtra.
Head of Trombay Nuclear Facility
editHe completed the construction of theThoriumplant and the plant for the production of nuclear gradeuraniummetal atTrombay,India. His first major challenging assignment was the setting up of thePlutoniumPlant at Trombay in 1959. This was designed and constructed entirely by Indian scientists and engineers under H. N. Sethna as the Project Engineer. TheUranium Millat Jaduguda, Jharkhand was also constructed under his guidance in 1967. He was also the Project Manager of a 40 MW reactor called Canada-India Reactor in 1956–58.
Indian atomic test of 1974
editHe was the guiding force behind the firstpeaceful nuclear explosion,Project Smiling Buddhain India on 18 May 1974,[5]and in 1975, Homi Sethna, then chairman of theAtomic Energy Commission,Raja RamannaandBasanti Dulal Nagchaudhuri(head of theDRDO) received thePadma Vibhushan.
Awards
edit- 1959:Padma Shri[6]
- 1960:SS Bhatnagar Prize
- 1966:Padma Bhushan[6]
- 1967:University of MichiganSesquicentennialAward
- 1975:Padma Vibhushan[7]
References
edit- ^Laxman, Srinivas (7 September 2010)."Homi Sethna, nuclear legend, passes away".The Times of India.Archived fromthe originalon 3 November 2012.
- ^"Homi Sethna passes away".The Hindu.Chennai, India. 7 September 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 10 September 2010.
- ^"Dr Homi Sethna: The man who powered India's nuclear dream".Rediff.com.6 September 2010.Retrieved10 February2018.
- ^Notable alumniArchived3 December 2008 at theWayback MachineSt. Xavier's High School, Fort- Official website.
- ^'He visualised a lively picture of a powerful India' - Interview/Dr Homi SethnaRediff.com,27 January 2006.
- ^ab"Padma Awards"(PDF).Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 15 October 2015.Retrieved21 July2015.
- ^Padma VishushanArchived31 January 2008 at theWayback MachineOfficial listings.