Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Jan 16: At a historic ceremony held here today, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated the union capital’s first-ever “Hall of Nuclear Power”, a permanent nuclear exhibition destination, at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
Exuding with pride , Dr Jitendra Singh declared , “Hall of Nuclear Power” in Delhi is truly a monument of the 21st century India.
Striking a personal note,Dr Jitendra Singh said,ever since he had taken over the assignment in the Department of Atomic Energy, it always weighed on his mind that even though the national capital of India was New Delhi, Nuclear and Atomic energy was a rare Department, which was headquartered in Mumbai and not in Delhi, and hence it did not enjoy the deserved visibility in the union capital. There were certain historic reasons for this, he said, mainly that India’s nuclear programme owed its origin and legacy to Late Dr. Homi Bhabha who lived in Mumbai and set up the country’s first ever Atomic Research Centre over there. This peculiar paradox also ended up in a situation wherein India’s nuclear programme, even though superior to that of most other nations of the world, did not receive sufficient public focus or attention in the national capital of New Delhi,he said.
With the setting up of “Hall of Nuclear Power” in New Delhi, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, not only will it be possible to showcase at the union capital all the great achievements and milestones achieved by India’s nuclear programme in the last 60 years but it will also be a befitting tribute to Dr. Homi Bhabha,the founding father, who had the vision and conviction to pledge that India’s nuclear programme will be devoted only to peaceful purposes, he added.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said, in the years to come, as India’s energy needs go on increasing, nuclear power will become one of the major sources of energy at competitively affordable rates for the benefit of large multitudes of people spread across the country.
Lauding the National Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL) for having made this project possible, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, very soon, he plans to formally write to the Ministry of Human Resources Department (HRD) and the Ministry of Culture to ensure that a visit to “Hall of Nuclear Power” at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi is made an essential part of the itinerary to be followed by schools, colleges and youth groups during their educational and recreation trips to New Delhi. This would also help in inspiring young scientific minds to develop an aptitude for nuclear science and carry forward Dr. Homi Bhabha’s mission to the next generation, he said.
Secretary Department of Atomic Energy Dr Shekhar Basu, CMD at NPCIL K.C. Purohit, Director General of National Council of Science Museums G.S. Rautela and Director of National Science Centre, Delhi D. Ram Sarma and Director (HR) at NPCIL N. Nagaich also spoke on the occasion.
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