National Technology Day 2022: Date, significance and History – Times of India

The government of India commemorates the day by honouring those who have made significant contributions to the development of new technology. National Technology Day was first celebrated in 1999 on 11th May. It was officially declared by the Late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee after the Five nuclear tests that were carried out on May 11, 1998.

After 24 years of the first nuclear test carried out in the year 1974 under the regime of Late Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi, the second nuclear test was carried out on 11th May 1998 in Pokhran while Late Prime Sh. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister Of India. Initially the code name of the nuclear test was ‘Smiling Buddha’.

It was a great day when India registered its name in setting off five nuclear devices at a test site in Pokhran in Rajasthan.

It is important to note that the name of shakti-98 was given to this nuclear test which later on named as pokhran- II and the nuclear test conducted in 1974 named as pokhran-I

Pokhran II: Objectives

India had three objectives to accomplish by Pokhran II. Rakesh Sood, a former diplomat who was involved in the post-nuclear tests diplomacy said we had three objectives, “First was to validate new designs to ensure the credibility of the nuclear deterrent as the data set from the 1974 test was limited. The second was to declare that India was now a nuclear weapon state and modify the terms of our engagement with other states accordingly. The third was to generate an acceptance of India as a responsible state with an impeccable non-proliferation record.”

Development and test teams

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (later, President of India), Scientific Adviser to the prime minister and Head of the DRDO and Dr. R. Chidambaram, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and the Department of Atomic energy were the project chief coordinators.

Dr. K. Santhanam; Director, Test Site Preparations from Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO) and Dr. G. R. Dikshitulu; Senior Research Scientist B.S.O.I Group, Nuclear Materials Acquisition from Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research were involved in the Pokhran II.

The names of the remaining technical personnel involved in the operation of Pokhran II are provided below.

Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC):

Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Director of BARC.

Dr. Satinder Kumar Sikka, Director; Thermonuclear Weapon Development.

Dr. M. S. Ramakumar, Director of Nuclear Fuel and Automation Manufacturing Group; Director, Nuclear Component Manufacture.

Dr. D.D. Sood, Director of Radiochemistry and Isotope Group; Director, Nuclear Materials Acquisition.

Dr. S.K. Gupta, Solid State Physics and Spectroscopy Group; Director, Device Design & Assessment.

Dr. G. Govindraj, Associate Director of Electronic and Instrumentation Group; Director, Field Instrumentation.

The President of India attends the ceremony organised by the department and presents the awards to enterprises, organisations and individuals for their outstanding contributions to the field of science and technology. Many seminars and events are held all over India so that the entire nation recognises the significance of National Technology Day.