Malur Ramasamy Srinivasan (5 January 1930 – 20 May 2025)Profile
asset.org.in; accessed 2 June 2015. was an Indian

nuclear scientist Nuclear physics is the field of physics that studies atomic nuclei and their constituents and interactions, in addition to the study of other forms of nuclear matter. Nuclear physics should not be confused with atomic physics, which studies the ...

and

mechanical engineer Mechanical may refer to: Machine * Machine (mechanical), a system of mechanisms that shape the actuator input to achieve a specific application of output forces and movement * Mechanical calculator, a device used to perform the basic operations o ...

. He played a key role in the development of India's nuclear power programme and the development of the

Pressurized heavy-water reactor A pressurized heavy-water reactor (PHWR) is a nuclear reactor that uses heavy water (deuterium oxide D2O) as its coolant and neutron moderator. PHWRs frequently use natural uranium as fuel, but sometimes also use very low enriched uranium. The h ...

(PHWR). He received the Padma Vibhushan award in 2015.

Early life and education

The third of eight siblings, Srinivasan was born in 1930 in

Bangalore Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...

. He completed his schooling at the Intermediate College,

Mysore Mysore ( ), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. It is the headquarters of Mysore district and Mysore division. As the traditional seat of the Wadiyar dynasty, the city functioned as the capital of the ...

in the science stream where he chose Sanskrit and English as his language for study. Despite physics being his first love, he joined the newly started engineering college (currently UVCE) by M. Visvesvaraya, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1950. He subsequently completed his master's in 1952 and was awarded a doctor of Philosophy degree in 1954 from

McGill University McGill University (French: Université McGill) is an English-language public research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill University, Vol. I. For the Advancement of Learning, ...

, Montreal, Canada. His field of specialization was gas turbine technology.

Career

Srinivasan joined the Department of Atomic Energy in September 1955. He worked with Homi Bhabha on the construction of India's first nuclear research reactor,

Apsara Apsaras (, , Khmer language, Khmer: អប្សរា are a class of celestial beings in Hinduism, Hindu and Culture of Buddhism, Buddhist culture. They were originally a type of female spirit of the clouds and waters, but, later play ...

, which went

critical Critical or Critically may refer to: *Critical, or critical but stable, medical states **Critical, or intensive care medicine * Critical juncture, a discontinuous change studied in the social sciences. *Critical Software, a company specializing i ...

in August 1956. In August 1959, Srinivasan was appointed Principal Project Engineer in the construction of India's first atomic power station. Following this, in 1967, Srinivasan was appointed Chief Project Engineer at the

Madras Atomic Power Station Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS) located at Kalpakkam about south of Chennai, India, is a comprehensive nuclear power production, fuel Nuclear reprocessing, reprocessing, and Nuclear waste, waste treatment facility that includes plutonium Nuc ...

. In 1974, Srinivasan was appointed Director, Power Projects Engineering Division, DAE and then Chairman, Nuclear Power Board, DAE in 1984. In these capacities, he was responsible for planning, execution, and operation, of all nuclear power projects in the country. In 1987, he was appointed chairman, Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy, with responsibility for all aspects of the Indian Nuclear Program. The Nuclear Power Corporation of India was created in September 1987, with Srinivasan as the Founder-Chairman. He was responsible for a total of 18 nuclear power units, of which seven are in operation, another seven under construction, and four still in the planning stages.

Other responsibilities

Srinivasan was a senior adviser at the

International Atomic Energy Agency The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an intergovernmental organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear technology, nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. It was ...

, Vienna from 1990 to 1992. He was a Member of the Planning Commission,

Government of India The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of States and union t ...

from 1996 to 1998, looking after the portfolios of Energy, and Science & Technology. He was a Member of India's National Security Advisory Board from 2002 to 2004 and again from 2006 to 2008. He was also Chairman, Task Force on Higher Education, Karnataka from 2002 to 2004. Srinivasan was Founder Member of World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO); Fellow, Indian National Academy of Engineering and Institution of Engineers (India) and Emeritus Fellow of the Indian Nuclear Society. Srinivasan died on 20 May 2025, at the age of 95.

Awards and honours

* Kannada Rajyotsava award, 2017 *

Asian Scientist 100 The Asian Scientist 100 is an annually published list of 100 prize-winning Asian researchers, academicians, innovators and business leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region and a range of scientific disciplines. Recipients "must have received ...

, ''

Asian Scientist ''Asian Scientist'' is an English language science and technology magazine published in Singapore. History and profile ''Asian Scientist'' was launched as a blog in March 2011 by Juliana Chan. The blog's popularity eventually led to a partnersh ...

'', 2016 * Padma Vibhushan in 2015 *

Padma Bhushan The Padma Bhushan (IAST: ''Padma Bhūṣaṇa'', lit. 'Lotus Decoration') is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 Januar ...

in 1990. *

Padma Shri The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...

in 1984 *Diamond Jubilee Award of the Central Board of Irrigation and Power *Best Designer Award of the Institution of Engineers (India) *Sanjay Gandhi Award for Science & Technology *Om Prakash Bhasin Award for Science & Technology *Homi Bhabha Gold Medal from the Indian Science Congress *Distinguished Alumnus Award by Vishveshwaraya College of Engineering, Bangalore *Homi Bhabha Life Time Award of Indian Nuclear Society

References

External links

Architects of Indian Nuclear Programme
* Srinivas Laxman
Dr. M.R.Srinivasan, Former Indian Atomic Chief, Discusses India's Nuclear Future
29 August 2011, AsianScientist, (archive.org)
Understand liability
*
Nuclear experts
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Srinivasan, M.R. 1930 births 2025 deaths Indian nuclear physicists Indian mechanical engineers Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in science & engineering Nuclear history of India Members of the Planning Commission of India Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan in science & engineering Engineers from Karnataka Scientists from Bengaluru McGill University Faculty of Engineering alumni University of Mysore alumni Recipients of the Padma Shri in science & engineering 20th-century Indian physicists 20th-century Indian engineers Indian nuclear engineers