India became a nuclear -rich country 51 years ago from Pokaran in Rajasthan. On 18 May 1974, the success of Operation ‘Smiling Buddha’ made India a sixth nuclear power in the world. Earlier, America, Russia, included in the United Nations Security Council
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It took more than a decade to make this nuclear test successful. Due to the tireless hard work and politics of the country’s famous scientists, the country was able to conduct nuclear tests.
Read the story of India becoming nuclear power in Dainik Bhaskar-
- Government had said- peaceful nuclear explosion
- Raj Ramanna said- there was a test bomb, it was not peaceful at all
When India conducted the first nuclear test in Pokaran, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi described it as a test conducted for a peaceful nuclear program. The US imposed several sanctions on India during that time. 23 years after this explosion, Raj Ramanna, former director of the Indian nuclear program and chief scientist of Pokaran Forest Test, said- Pokhran test was a bomb. I can now tell you, the explosion is an explosion, a gun is a gun, whether you shoot someone or drive on the ground. I just want to clarify that the Pokhran test was not peaceful at all.
The picture is of the site of Pokaran where the successful nuclear explosion was carried out.
America persuaded India to not conduct further nuclear tests The first nuclear test in Pokaran was the target of 12 kiloton yields. The result was actually around 8 kilotons. At that time, the government had called for the expansion of mining technology, charging the oil field and to meet the energy needs, calling it a peaceful nuclear explosion as part of the strategy at that time. At that time, the US persuaded India for not doing further nuclear tests. There was a long dispute over this.
No record of preparation, all oral orders India had started preparations for nuclear tests from the 60s, but there were many obstacles to pursue it. Indira Gandhi carried it forward. India’s nuclear program was going on since the time of the famous nuclear scientist Dr. Homi Jahangir Bhabha, but due to his death in the plane accident, many plans remained incomplete. It was later carried forward. When Indira Gandhi first became Prime Minister, the plan to conduct a nuclear test proceeded.
Indira Gandhi visited Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC) on 7 September 1972. At that time, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had given a verbal order to the scientists to pursue the design work prepared for the nuclear explosion. It was necessary to keep every planning of the nuclear explosion program confidential. Therefore, nothing related to its preparation was kept on the file or in any document. Everything went on oral order. There was a danger of its leaks by writing anything related to planning or preparation on paper. The privacy was retained till the end.
A well numa shaft was made for the test.
7 years preparation, America did not get a clue Not one thing of the first nuclear explosion program was leaked. Even America was not allowed to get a glimpse of it. More than 75 scientists worked tirelessly in its work during the period 1967 to 1974, but did not put anyone on record work. Thousands of people worked at different levels, but did not keep anyone’s records.
The equipment was taken in the thermos The device for nuclear testing was prepared in Bhabha Atomic Center (BARC) Mumbai itself. Many of its small and big equipment were to be installed. A small equipment was placed in the thermos and transported from the flight. Senior scientists involved in the nuclear program took it.
Use of tickling dragon tail Flower was not ready till 4 May 1974. To deliver it on time, Iyengar and Murthy filled it in a thermos bottle and took it to a regular flight of Indian Airlines. The design of the nuclear explosion tool was long tasked. It took a long time to finalize. There were many technical aspects of this. The work of verifying the design of the testing equipment was done on 19 February 1974. At that time, the tickle of the dragon was used. The trial to test the design of nuclear test was named.
Engineer Regiment posted in Jodhpur dug up tall tunnel The special tunnel (shaft) in the Pokaran region for the nuclear explosion was to dig. Chief scientist Raj Ramanna, the Chief scientist of the nuclear test, approached the army resident commander to dig a tunnel a year before the test. The army did not cooperate for a month. Later, when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ordered the work, the work progressed. The army became active after the Prime Minister’s orders. The engineering regiment posted in Jodhpur was employed in the tunnel work.
After the Test, PM Indira Gandhi went to Pokaran Range and saw where the test took place. Indira saw how big a pit was caused by the atomic bomb. (File photo)
Said- the wells are digging The army unit had no experience of digging a nuclear test shaft, so there were problems. The nuclear test was to be done hundreds of meters from the ground. The correct excavation of the well was necessary inside. This work was named Operation Dry Enterprise. Engineers and soldiers were told that they were digging a well to supply the Pokhran range. The work of digging a special shaft before the nuclear test was interrupted several times. Once the water came, the work stopped. Its design changed. Due to this, the well had to be changed and the work of making tunnels in another place. Earlier many wells were dug. The shaft work started in February 1974 and was completed a few days before the test.
Indira Gandhi’s advisory was opposed to the test Scientist Raza Ramanna, who led a nuclear test, has made several revelations on the preparations for this test in his autobiography. According to Ramanna’s autobiography, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi held several meetings with her core advisors before the decision. These meetings contained only two advisors of Indira Gandhi, besides Ramanna and three core scientists. Both advisors were in protest, but Indira Gandhi had decided to test nuclear testing and ordered scientists to carry forward the work. Indira Gandhi did not even tell the Defense Minister about her final decision.
Equipment and Plutonium Corps took three days to reach Pokaran from Mumbai The nuclear testing equipment was transported to Pokaran in an army truck from Tumba Mumbai. It took three days. It was brought to Pokaran with a convoy of army trucks. This device was packed and brought carefully in a special case. Nobody was aware that there was something in a truck in this convoy of trucks that caused a ruckus in the world in the coming days.
Indira Gandhi in the nuclear range. (File photo)
Non -blast equipment weighs 14 quintals The device used in nuclear tests was brought very carefully to the test site in Pokaran. He was to be connected to the shaft. Core scientists started the work of connecting it to the shaft 5 days before the test. It was added to a hut, 40 meters from the shaft. The weight of this device was 14 quintals. It was taken from the rail to the shaft, later covered with sand. On the morning of 15 May, the device was launched in the shaft, placed at a side of the L-shaped shaft at a side of the shaft. The shaft was sealed with sand and cement.
There was a test at 8 o’clock, an engineer trapped on the site On May 8, the testing time was fixed at 8 am, but it was delayed by five minutes. Before the test, an engineer was stuck on the test site to check high speed cameras, their jeep did not start. The testing time was taking place, everyone’s heartbeat had increased. The engineers left the jeep and left. Later, the jeep stuck with another jeep was removed, but this whole exercise was delayed by five minutes.
The explosion and India created history as soon as the button was pressed Scientists pressed the switch at 8.5 am at Pokaran’s test site. After some time, dust woke up. In some time, America came to know about it. After this, this news spread all over the world. India had become the sixth country in the world to achieve nuclear bombs.
Source: Years of Pilgrimage An Autobiography- Raja Ramanna