Top nuclear safety expert LV Krishnan no more

CHENNAI: One of Indias leading nuclear safety experts, Dr L V Krishnan, has passed away at the age of 88. Dr Krishnan was instrumental in setting up the Safety Research Laboratory at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research in Kalpakkam, supporting Indias Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) programme. He retired as the Director of the Safety Research Laboratory in 1997. As Director, he introduced the Emergency Preparedness Plan for Kalpakkam, conducting drills that later served as a model for DAE facilities across the country. He also played a pioneering role in the launch of the indigenously built and operated Fast Breeder Test Reactor. The programme put India on the verge of becoming the second nation after Russia to commission a Fast Breeder Reactor. Dr Krishnan started his career in 1958 with the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) after graduating in Physics from Presidency College, Chennai, and completing the second batch of the Training School at the Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay (now BARC). He went on to specialise in Health Physics and Nuclear Safety, fields in which he made pioneering contributions, a colleague remembered. After completing advanced training at the Oak Ridge School of Reactor Technology in the US and conducting research on fast breeder reactor safety at Cadarache in France, Dr Krishnan returned to India to play a key role in building the countrys nuclear safety infrastructure. Over the course of his career, he carried out safety analyses of critical facilities, including the Tarapur Atomic Power Station, the Plutonium Plant at Trombay, and the Fast Breeder Test Reactor at Kalpakkam. His expertise extended to criticality calculations for plutonium facilities, as well as safety review committees for several nuclear installations across the country. Beyond his scientific achievements, Dr Krishnan was known for his clarity as a communicator in both English and Tamil. He devoted considerable effort to public outreach, explaining the safety and societal benefits of atomic energy and helping bridge the gap between science and society. He is survived by his wife and two sons.