Shaping Tomorrow: Advancing Nuclear Energy for India

Recently, I had the privilege of delivering an online talk as part of the orientation program for the Energy Science and Engineering students of ATRIA university. As part of this program, session was dedicated on Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Sciences on 7th August 2025. I delivered talk from 9:00 AM - 10:45 AM. The title was “Shaping Tomorrow: Advancing Nuclear Energy for India”. The session was hosted by ATRIA University, Bengaluru — home to India’s first liberal STEM program, which uniquely blends scientific learning with real-world problem-solving.

The session, organized under the Nuclear Energy Science Department, was a rare blend of science, policy, and vision. I began by sharing over three-four decades of research contributions in nuclear science. Shared about the history of experimental nuclear physics (contributions of Prof P. S. Gill, Prof. H. S. Hans, Prof Charanjeet Singh Khurana, Prof. Rajeshwari Prasad and others) research using Neutron generator at the Physics department to using VECC cyclotron, Pelletron at IUAC, New Delhi and briefly the work done at RBI, Zagreb, Croatia, at Fermi energy regime, before shifting focus to a subject of immense global and national importance, i.e., the role of nuclear energy in sustainable development.

One of the first points discussed was the growing global energy crisis. The world’s population is projected to exceed 9 billion by mid-century, with the fastest growth occurring in developing nations. Yet, billions of people still lack reliable access to electricity. This is not just a technical problem, it is a social and economic one. This is deepening poverty, widening inequality, and denying millions the basic foundations of education, healthcare, and opportunity.

While fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas continue to power much of the world, they come at the cost of accelerating climate change. Even renewable sources such as hydropower and solar energy face challenges of intermittency, storage, and environmental impact. Against this backdrop, the nuclear fission stands out as a reliable, high-capacity, and low-carbon energy source.

Highlighted that the energy contained inside an atomic nucleus is millions of times greater per unit mass than in coal or oil. This extremely high energy density means nuclear plants can produce vast amounts of electricity from very small amounts of fuel. All this without emitting greenhouse gases during operation. It is for this reason that nuclear energy has been described as “nature’s blessing to humankind”. It said to be a gift of physics that can address both climate change and energy security if harnessed responsibly.

Naturally, public concerns about safety and waste were also addressed. Modern nuclear reactors are far safer than those of previous generations, with multiple layers of active and passive safety systems, advanced materials, and strict regulatory oversight. On the waste management front, sealed storage systems, deep geological repositories, and fuel recycling are reducing long-term environmental risks.

In this talk, I also explored about emerging nuclear technologies, such as Accelerator-Driven Systems (ADS). The reactors that use particle accelerators to create inherently safe, sub-critical systems that cannot sustain a chain reaction without external input. For India, such systems, popularly called as Energy Amplifiers, could be transformational. With India's abundant thorium reserves and the challenge of managing plutonium from decommissioned weapons, these technologies could provide clean energy while also addressing waste and security concerns.

I also took the students through Dr. Homi Bhabha’s visionary three-stage nuclear programme. The first stage uses Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) to produce plutonium. The second stage involves Fast Breeder Reactors to multiply fuel, and the third envisions advanced reactors using thorium. Thorium is a kind of resource in which India is particularly rich. India has already made significant progress, with 22 operational reactors producing about 6,780 MWe. Since 1979, nuclear energy has prevented millions of tones of CO₂ emissions, a contribution that often goes unnoticed. Of course millions of lives have been saved that might have been lost due to pollution.

On radiation safety, it was explained that the exposure from living near a nuclear plant is far lower than from natural sources like cosmic rays on a flight or background radiation in some parts of the world. With proper safeguards, monitoring, and transparency, nuclear energy remains one of the safest forms of large-scale electricity generation.

Finally, in the talk, highlighted the broader socio-economic benefits of nuclear power. Like creating high-skilled jobs and stimulating industries to enhancing energy independence etc. For India to become a Viksit Bharat by 2047, nuclear power must form a substantial share of our diversified energy mix, alongside solar, wind, and hydro. If we are serious about meeting future energy demands without worsening the climate crisis, we cannot afford to ignore the immense potential of nuclear energy.

India’s 2025–26 Union Budget has made a landmark allocation of ₹20,000 crore for the Nuclear Energy Mission. The government has signaled a strong national commitment to clean and reliable power. The highlight is the plan to establish at least five Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) by 2033.

This will usher in a new era of flexible and safe nuclear technology. The government has also set an ambitious target to expand nuclear power capacity from the current 8 GW to 100 GW by 2047. This is again in line with the vision of achieving net-zero emissions and energy security. The initiative represents a major push toward decarbonization, aiming to deliver more clean electricity to power cities, industries, and homes across the country. By harnessing nuclear energy alongside other renewables, India aims to build a resilient, diversified, and sustainable energy future.

Thanks to the organizers specially Prof. Pushpendra Singh: Program Director and Professor of Energy Sciences at Atria University Bengaluru Prof. Canute Sherwin and all others for giving the opportunity of interaction.... For more details keep on visiting: https://www.atomicexplorers.com/