P.R. Vasudeva Rao took over as Director of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) at Kalpakkam, near here, on Thursday from S.C Chetal, who has retired.
Dr. Rao, who was earlier Director, Chemistry Group in IGCAR, is a specialist in actinide chemistry and, in particular in the area of chemistry of nuclear fuel cycle. He has led many research and development programmes of IGCAR related to chemistry. Under his guidance, its Chemistry Group is pursuing R and D in the chemistry aspects of fast reactor fuels, coolants and control rod mechanisms.
Dr. Rao graduated from Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda College in Chennai in 1972 and joined the Department of Atomic Energy after graduating from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) Training School, Trombay. He earned his Ph.D. in actinide chemistry from Bombay University. After initially working in the BARC, he shifted to IGCAR in 1978. He was instrumental in setting up the Radiochemistry Laboratory there. He has won several awards, including the Indian Nuclear Society award in 2007 for his contribution in nuclear fuel cycle technologies.
IGCAR specialises in designing and developing breeder reactors.
