Eminent nuclear scientist Dr M.R. Srinivasan, considered to be the architect of the country’s civilian nuclear energy programme, passed away on 20 May 2025 in Udhagamandalam, Tamil Nadu. He was 95 years old. Despite international sanctions and limited access to nuclear technology, Padam Vibhushan awardee Dr M R Srinivasan played a crucial role in developing the country's civilian nuclear power sector.

About Dr M R Srinivasan

Dr M R Srinivasan, or Malur Ramasamy Srinivasan, was born on January 5, 1930, in Bengaluru, Karnataka. He did his B.Tech in mechanical engineering from the Visvesvaraya College of Engineering.

He pursued higher studies abroad and earned his master’s degree in engineering in 1952, followed by a PhD in 1954 from McGill University in Montreal, Canada.

Association with the Indian Nuclear Programme

He returned to India and joined the Department of Atomic Energy in 1955.

He was one of the core members of Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha's team that developed India’s & Asia’s first nuclear research reactor, Apsara. The Apsara reactor became critical (started functioning) in 1956.
He later gradually rose in the hierarchy of the nuclear establishment in India.
In 1959, he was appointed principal project engineer for constructing India’s first atomic power station at Tarapur, Maharashtra.
In 1967, he was appointed the chief project engineer for the Madras Atomic Power Station.
In 1984, he was appointed the chairman of the Nuclear Power Board.
He became the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy in 1987.
In 1987, he became the founding chairman of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). NPCIL is the premier company in India that designs, constructs, and operates India’s nuclear power plants.
Work on 18 civilian nuclear power plants in the country was started during his tenure.

Other Engagement of Dr M R Srinivasan

From 1990 to 92, he was the senior advisor at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria.
He was a member of the Planning Commission from 1996 to 1998.
He was appointed to the National Security Advisory Board (2002–2004 and 2006–2008).
The Karnataka government appointed him the chairman of the Task Force on Higher Education in 2002.

Awards and Honours

During his illustrious career, DR M R Srinivasan was honoured with various awards and honours.

Padma Vibhushan - The Country’s second-highest civilian award in 2015.

Padma Bhushan- The Country’s third-highest civilian award in 1990

Padma Shri -The Country’s fourth-highest award in 1984.

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