Who was M R Srinivasan, the man behind India's nuclear power programme?

Under the leadership of M R Srinivasan, India developed 18 nuclear power units. Of these, seven are operational, seven are under construction, and four are in advanced planning stages

M R Srinivasan, a key figure in starting India’s nuclear energy programme, passed away on May 20, 2025, in Ooty, Tamil Nadu. The former chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission was 95 years old. Srinivasan was a well-known scientist, engineer, and leader whose work played a big role in building India’s peaceful nuclear energy system. He is survived by his daughter, Sharada Srinivasan.

 

Early life and education

 

Malur Ramasamy Srinivasan was born on January 5, 1930, in Bengaluru, Karnataka. He completed his early education in Mysore, where he studied science, choosing Sanskrit and English as his languages. Though he loved physics, he enrolled in the University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE), one of the first engineering colleges in the country started by M Visvesvaraya. He completed his degree in mechanical engineering in 1950.

 

 

He then moved abroad to pursue higher education. He earned his master’s degree in engineering in 1952, followed by a PhD in 1954 from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. His area of specialisation was gas turbine technology.

 

Entry into India’s nuclear programme

 

Srinivasan joined the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) in September 1955. At just 25, he had the rare opportunity to work under Homi Jehangir Bhabha — the visionary who laid the foundation of India’s nuclear science journey. One of their early achievements was the construction of Apsara, India’s first nuclear research reactor, which became critical (began functioning) in 1956.

 

This was the beginning of a long and impactful career that spanned over six decades, during which Srinivasan helped shape India’s nuclear policies and projects.

 

Key contributions and leadership roles

 

In 1959, Srinivasan was appointed principal project engineer for the construction of India’s first atomic power station. By 1967, he became the chief project engineer for the Madras Atomic Power Station — a key step in India's aim to produce electricity from nuclear energy.

 

In 1974, he was named director of the Power Projects Engineering Division at the DAE. Ten years later, in 1984, he became the chairman of the Nuclear Power Board.

 

The turning point in his leadership came in 1987, when he was appointed chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy. That same year, he also became the founding chairman of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), which was responsible for the design, construction, and operation of India’s nuclear power plants.

 

Under his leadership, 18 nuclear power units were developed. Of these, seven were operational, seven were under construction, and four were in advanced planning stages. He played a crucial role in ensuring that India’s nuclear programme stayed on course even during challenging times, including international sanctions and limited access to foreign technology.

 

Work beyond nuclear energy

 

Srinivasan’s influence extended beyond nuclear science. From 1990 to 1992, he served as senior advisor at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna. He was a member of India’s Planning Commission from 1996 to 1998, where he handled Energy and Science & Technology portfolios.

 

He served twice as a member of the National Security Advisory Board (2002–2004 and 2006–2008), and was chairman of the Task Force on Higher Education in Karnataka from 2002 to 2004.

 

India's legendary nuclear technologist Dr. M. R. Srinivasan has just passed away. Picked by Homi Bhabha himself, he played a pivotal role in the setting up of India's very first nuclear power plant at Tarapur in the late 60s. Later he led the team that established India's… pic.twitter.com/hXPi5HzIHO

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) May 20, 2025

Recognitions and legacy

 

For his immense contributions to India’s progress in nuclear energy, Srinivasan was honoured with some of the nation’s highest civilian awards:

 

Padma Shri in 1984

Padma Bhushan in 1990

Padma Vibhushan in 2015

 

He was also a founder-member of the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO), and a fellow of prestigious institutions like the Indian National Academy of Engineering and the Indian Nuclear Society.

 

Srinivasan worked alongside several key figures in Indian science including Vikram Sarabhai, Homi Sethna, Raja Ramanna, P K Iyengar, R Chidambaram, and Anil Kakodkar. Among the generation of leaders who carried forward Bhabha and Sarabhai’s vision, Srinivasan’s role was both central and lasting.