IKON
Anil Kakodkar is another proud son of Goa. He is a nuclear scientist . He was the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of India and the Secretary to the Government of India, he was the Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, on 26 January 2009.
Apart from playing a major role in India’s nuclear tests asserting sovereignty, Kakodkar champions India’s self-reliance on thorium as a fuel for nuclear energy.
Kakodkar graduated from VJTI, University of Mumbai with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1963. He joined the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in 1964. He obtained a master’s degree in experimental stress analysis from the University of Nottingham in 1969.
He was a part of the core team of architects of India’s Peaceful Nuclear Tests in 1974 and 1998. Further he has led the indigenous development in India’s Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor Technology. He worked in the rehabilitation of the two reactors at Kalpakkam and the first unit at Rawatbhata, which at one stage were on the verge of being written off.
He believes that India should be self-reliant in energy, especially by use of the cheap national thorium resources He continues to engage in designing the Advanced Heavy Water Reactor, that uses thorium-uranium 233 as the primary energy source with plutonium as the driver fuel. The unique reactor system, with simplified but safe technology, will generate 75 per cent of electricity from thorium.
He was awarded the Gomant Vibhushan Award (2010) by the Government of Goa.
What is the job all about?
Everything around us is made up of tiny objects called atoms. Most of the mass of each atom is concentrated in the center (which is called the nucleus), and the rest of the mass is in the cloud of electrons surrounding the nucleus. Protons and neutrons are subatomic particles that comprise the nucleus.
Under certain circumstances, the nucleus of a very large atom can split in two. In this process, a certain amount of the large atom’s mass is converted to pure energy. In the 1930s and ’40s, scientist discovered this energy and recognized its potential as a weapon. This success led in creation of nuclear bombs. (Hiroshima).
Today Nuclear energy is used in reactor design,weapons research,radioisotope production,fusion energy and nuclear medicine.
nuclear power do not develop the chances of emission of greenhouse gases and chances of acid rain and therefore it does not contribute to global warming that is acting a great threat to the life on earth. Therefore, application of nuclear power wisely might produce innumerable benefits.
Is there a future in this field?
There are plans to build a further 24 nuclear reactors in the country. Each reactor needs at least 900 scientist, engineers and support staff .Besides , India is wanting to build up further its defence arsenal without too much reliance on imports -here again there will be need of for more Scientists than we have to-day. Also Nuclear energy is needed in more spheres Health and Medicine, therefore more reliance on nuclear engineers and Scientists.
Can I go for it?
Nuclear power is the fourth-largest source of electricity in India after thermal, hydroelectric and renewable sources of electricity. As of 2013, India has 21 nuclear reactors in operation in 7 nuclear power plants, having an installed capacity of 5780 MW and producing a total of 30,292.91 GWh of electricity while 6 more reactors are under construction and are expected to generate an additional 4,300 MW.
Where to begin?
In Goa:
We now have 5 Engineering colleges in Goa –so you could begin with a study of Mechanical Engineering and then switch to Nuclear Engineering at the masters level outside Goa. But with an IIT coming to Goa shortly there is a good chance you will be able to study nuclear engineering in Goa itself.
Outside Goa:
Amity Institute of Nuclear Science & Tech Noida offers B.Tech in Nuclear Science whereas SRM University Chennai offers a B.Tech in Nuclear Engineering. These are 4 year courses. The IIT’ offer Nuclear engineering at IIT-Kanpur & IIT-Bombay. Also the Dept. of Nuclear Science & Technology at the University of Petroleum & Energy studies – Dehradun, New Delhi Technological University Delhi, J. Nehru Tech University Kakinada, Manipal Institute of Technology, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata
Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bangalore
Employment Avenues:
The main employment avenues would be the Nuclear Power Corporation of India.http://www.npcil.nic.in/main/AllProjectOperationDisplay.aspxndia (NPCI).
This website gives full details of the Corporation activities as also their Salary scales etc.
Besides NPCI the other agencies like DRDO, Bhabha Atomic Research Organisation Teaching & Research.
Hospital Research centers both private & public.
Please do not be satisfied with just acquiring a Degree/Diploma – try and enhance your CV by doing online learning programs (with a certificate) of programs relevant to your choice of career. Your chances of employment will be much better than just a plain degree/diploma.
Please check this website under other details for places you can learn online. Also try and develop your confidence by doing a public speaking training program with people like Toast Masters International.
For government jobs: please check : http://www.employment-newspaper.com/