Kamlesh Nilkanth Vyas appointed Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission

Appointment Committee of the Cabinet has appointed renowned scientist Kamlesh Nilkanth Vyas as chairman of Atomic Energy Commission and secretary of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). He will have tenure till he attains the age of 64 years, i.e. till May 2021.
He will succeed Shekhar Basu. Basu was appointed to the post in October 2015 and his tenure was to end in September 2016. However, he was given two extension of one year each one in 2016 and another in 2017 till September 2018.

Kamlesh Nilkanth Vyas

Vyas at present is Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). He is Mechanical Engineering graduate from MS University, Vadodara. After completion of training in BARC training school in 1979, he had joined Fuel Design and Development Section of Reactor Engineering Division of BARC.
He has worked for design and analysis of nuclear reactor fuels. He was also responsible for design and development of a novel fuel for strategic applications. He has worked extensively in thermal hydraulics and stress analysis of critical reactor core components.
He has been conferred several awards including Indian Nuclear Society Outstanding Service Award 2011, Homi Bhabha Science and Technology Award 2006, DAE Awards in years 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2013. He is also Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineers.

Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)

AEC is the governing body of the DAE which is under the direct charge of Prime Minister. It was established in 1948 to look after atomic energy activities in the country. Its functions are to organise research in atomic scientists in India, train atomic scientists in the country, promote nuclear research in commission’s own laboratories and undertake prospecting of atomic minerals and extract such minerals for use on industrial scale.

Month: Current Affairs - September, 2018