1 The Sanmar Group 9, Cathedral Road, Chennai 600 086. Tel.: + 91 44 2812 8500 Fax.: + 91 44 2811 1902

Sanmar Holdings Ltd Sanmar Consolidations Ltd Chemplast Sanmar Ltd Sanmar Shipping Ltd TCI Sanmar Chemicals S.A.E. Cabot Sanmar Ltd Sanmar Speciality Chemicals Ltd Sanmar Engineering Technologies Ltd - Products Divn. Flowserve Sanmar Ltd BS&B Safety Systems (India) Ltd Sanmar Engineering Services Ltd Xomox Sanmar Ltd Xomox Valves Divn. Pacific Valves Divn. Tyco Sanmar Ltd - Steel Castings Divn. Sanmar Foundries Ltd Matrix Metals LLC

2 In this issue...

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19

Spotlight 21 Turning Freshers into 4 Performers - Training The Sanmar way

Events ‘Trade arrangement with India will boost business 9 ties’- Seminar on Emerging Sporting Sanmar Beyond Sanmar Business Opportunities in Egypt Spotting talent from ‘Coming Together’ at across India - 19 Madhuram Narayanan “Aligning Employee 14 New TNCA rules boost Centre Relations with Business Jolly Rovers’ efforts CSR activities at Strategies”- 20 Chemplast Cuddalore 10 B Visweswaran’s address Jolly Rovers CC wins the and Karaikal 16 VAP Trophy at the EFSI National IR Chemplast’s spoken Conference Sanmar-TNTA League English programme at Mettur Chemplast partners 17 title retained by MCC District Administration in 21 New batch at Chemplast 12 mock off-site emergency People and Places Mettur tailoring training centre drill at Karaikal Ninth Danish Consular Conference at Copenhagen - Legends from the South Training programme on 18 An eyewitness account 13 oil pollution preparedness by SB Prabhakar Rao 22 Raja Ramanna

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3 Turning Freshers into Performers Training The Sanmar way

Sanmar has always believed in The HR strategy at Sanmar insists Karaikal, Berigai, Viralimalai and Spotlight selecting people with the most that all positions at the entry level Karapakkam. appropriate academic and career must be filled with freshers from In addition to providing all-round credentials and training them college, recruited and trained in- technical training, the impetus from to fit the specific needs of its house. This means there is no lateral Day 1 is on inculcating organisational various businesses. For example, recruitment for entry level positions. values. The Sanmar culture and the a programme to train graduate Sanmar has generally encouraged the Sanmar way of doing things are engineer recruits fresh out of college hiring of local talent for junior and essential parts of the diet so provided. was put in place in the early years senior positions to enhance work-life of Sanmar Engineering when it balance and create an invigorating The flagship Sanmar Engineering was a single product company workplace leading to a healthy GET training programme has its manufacturing Durametallic relationship with the community origins in 1981, much before the mechanical seals. The programme and its holistic development. Hence, SR Seshadri Training Institute has continued successfully through campus recruitment is done not just came into existence in 2007. “The the decades. Similar training courses at city colleges but also from rural success of the programme is that have been and continue to be held catchment areas and the recruits managers belonging to the first at Chemplast’s chemical plants at are trained in Sanmar plants across batch of GETs are still with us, one Mettur and Cuddalore. locations - at Mettur, Cuddalore, a Business Manager and the other

V Ramesh with GETs during a lecture session at Karapakkam.

4 the Engineering Head of Flowserve structured training programme and process, including the campus Sanmar”, exults V Ramesh, a Sanmar also to perpetuate the memory of SR recruitment seamless, he wanted veteran, who is now mentoring Seshadri, a prime mover of Sanmar the recruitment process also to be Training the Training Managers at SRSTI. Engineering and The Technical Guru attached to the institute. Thus, The programme, soon acquired a for many of those who rose to hold through dedicated HR resources leadership positions in the various pan-Indian character, with fresh attached to the institute, SRSTI engineering graduates being hired businesses. Two years down the line, takes care of recruitment of trainees from all over the country to be it was felt that this initiative should as well. Not just recruitment, trained as Sales Engineers for the be strengthened and institutiona- evaluation and mentoring the various SETL products. lised further on a much larger scale and this saw the emergence of SRSTI trainees are also done. Over the years, with additional in its current avatar as an excellent The infrastructure for SRSTI was training initiatives, several new training facility that brings under initially built at Karapakkam and programmes have been added. The one umbrella structured and intense has expanded to Viralimalai where number of training programmes has training of freshers recruited from the Sanmar Engineering valve gone up sharply to about 16 per year renowned colleges. The institute companies and foundries are located and the number of persons to be serves as a preparatory set up to and to Mettur to cater to the training trained has gone up from an annual bootstrap freshers with specific number of about 30 to nearly 150! training to take on positions in the needs of Sanmar’s chemical plants. When Sanmar flagged off SRSTI in various companies and divisions of All of Sanmar’s training centres are The Sanmar Group. September 2007, it was to integrate equipped with excellent classroom these programmes under one roof When N Sankar articulated his facilities, library and computer based and meet a growing need for a vision, in order to make the whole training materials.

Assembly and testing facilities for SETL products at Viralimalai.

5 Significantly, in the seven years of its existence, SRSTI has grown from one Training programmes at SRSTI or two programmes for Graduate/ Diploma Engineer Trainees, now • Graduate Engineers – Electrical, Instrumentation at to offer sixteen different training Mechanical, Electrical, Engineers’, Supervisory and programmes covering – Chemicals, Chemicals & Instrumentation Operating levels Engineering, Foundries and • Diploma Engineers – Engineering Spotlight Common Accounts. Mechanical, Electrical, • Sales (Pan India), Operations – Chemicals & Instrumentation The institute has a team of ten Product Engineering, Planning, • Masters in Science & Commerce Procurement, Production & professional managers with over Quality 100+ years of total experience in Training programme covers various various products, processes, plants, functions: Foundry business systems in chemicals and Chemicals • Foundry Operations – Sand engineering. This is in addition • Plant Operations, Plant Foundry, Investment Foundry to the professional teaching and Maintenance – Mechanical, • Product development in Foundry training faculty, who are experts drawn from different fields and functions. They have rich experience A hallmark of the training at SRSTI The trainees develop result-oriented in manufacture, engineering services is its emphasis on ‘application’, projects on the shop floor and come and operation of chemical plants. opportunity for the GETs to work up with practical solutions in specific Sometimes, experienced managers on live problems in the plants areas such as cost improvement, waste who have retired from Sanmar are during their in-plant training and reduction, cycle time reduction, and hired to conduct classes. during their on-the-job training. development of tools and fixtures,

Trainees at work, SRSTI Mettur.

6 Common Training programme split into: • Project work in plants • Various Accounting Functions – • 3-6 months training in product & Stress given for application of Training BPO and in Plant processes in classroom & in plants knowledge gained in the work place Training programmes are well • 6-9 months of on-the-job including product applications. designed to cover: training in the respective Training evaluation is done at every • Product training in classroom functions stage to constantly give feedback Training programme methodology: to the trainees on the level of • Product training practical absorption. (hands-on) in manufacturing • Typical classroom training plants (In-plant training) • Hands-on training in building Evaluation methodology includes: • Training in Manufacturing products/ trouble shooting • Weekly tests processes & Quality • Group activities in practicals • Assignments requirements (In-plant training) • Assignments • Technical presentations • Training in manufacturing & • Plant visits (Engineering trainees • Project presentations business systems (SAP) to Chemical plants & vice versa) which they implement in the work The thrust in Sanmar is on practical at Viralimalai. Similar facilities place. training and hence in addition are being set up at Mettur and to the classroom facility, ‘a mini Karapakkam also. Sometimes, Several of these, carried out under workshop’ for hands-on training, the close mentorship of operating Sanmar makes use of other institutes’ for trainees to assemble, dissemble, managers, have yielded significant facilities for practical training in and test all our products is available results. Mechanical Engineering Basics,

Trainees at Viralimalai.

7 DCS Operations, Instrumentation, Electrical Systems and other subjects.

“Our team works with the objective of creating technically competent professionals who meet global standards of excellence across Spotlight multiple functions / businesses / plant operations”, says SRSTI President K Balasubramanian.

In addition to training freshers, SRSTI offers refresher training programmes K Balasubramanian with the trainees. for existing professionals in the plants to update their knowledge with the Transaction Process Improvements even within a year of work. Such is latest developments in their field and and Work Place Management, the calibre of intense training and hone their skills. Practical workshops among others. grooming imparted in Sanmar. are conducted so that they apply A trained professional at Sanmar the knowledge gained in real life does not just do routine jobs but problems in their plants. Examples develops result-oriented projects/ are workshops which have been products at the plants. Many of conducted on Statistical Problem them gain very quick recognition as Solving, Value Stream Mapping, “Excellent Performers” in the Group

Graduate Engineering Trainees with their training manager T Subramaniyan at SRSTI, Viralimalai.

8 ‘Trade arrangement with India will boost business ties’

Seminar on Emerging Business Opportunities in Egypt Events

A seminar on ‘Emerging Business level, at the level of engagement The President of Egypt has Opportunities in Egypt’ was in science and technology areas, in shown considerable vision in conducted under the aegis of information technology. There are conceptualising and announcing FICCI and TCI Sanmar Chemicals many other sectors which can be new policies and projects with S.A.E., in Delhi on 8 July 2014. looked at such as biotechnology, tremendous scope for increasing information technology and cyber participation from other countries PS Jayaraman, Chairman, TCI security.” Sanmar Chemicals S.A.E., said in into Egypt, thus heralding an era his address that the Government of Jayaraman added that the key business of positive change. Egypt under the stewardship of the driver in Egypt was the country’s Egypt looked forward to enter into new President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi geo-strategic location. By having a a trade arrangement with India had signalled a continued interest manufacturing base in Egypt, Indian to give a boost to two-way trade, in expanding business relations companies would be able to access said Khaled El-Bakly, Ambassador with India. “It is now time to take markets in Europe, Africa, and the this relationship forward. It has Middle East. This advantage of Egypt of the Arab Republic of Egypt to all components of a very strong had become a major attraction. India. “Egypt connects Asia and relationship, at the economic PS Jayaraman also shared his success Africa by the land route and also story in ‘Doing Business in Egypt’. acts as a gateway to the European market. Indian companies can penetrate these markets by setting up businesses in Egypt”, the Ambassador added. Sheila Sudhakaran, Assistant Secretary General FICCI, Mongy Badr, Minister Counsellor, Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt in New Delhi, and Pradip Tyle, Director, UFLEX were among those present.

9 “Aligning Employee Relations with Business Strategies” B Visweswaran’s address at the EFSI National IR Conference

The National IR Conference of The were a bit of a culture shock for me. Employers’ Federation of South India But when I thought about it, it was Events (EFSI) on “Forging Partnership – clear that the policies were designed New Age Business Strategy” was held around the strategies of each of the at GRT Grand, Chennai on 24-25 businesses. July 2014. The current business environment B Visweswaran, Director, The is tough, with a hint of optimism. Sanmar Group Corporate Division, Customers have options resulting addressed the delegates on the topic, from the globalisation of the supply “Aligning Employee Relations with chain. Customers can pick and Business Strategies”. choose their suppliers based on volumes, lead time, price and quality. Here are some key points from his Logistics has improved tremendously speech: and this allows customers to have a The vision statement of The choice in where and from whom they Sanmar Group lays emphasis on can source. “all stakeholders” and the employees Strategies to remain competitive are among the primary stakeholders can either come from being the of any organisation. lowest cost producer or from some The IT environment and the form of differentiation. At Sanmar manufacturing environment are very Engineering, the segment of the different and employee management Group that I am part of, we aim to needs to be aligned suitably. When I differentiate from competition in moved from my earlier stints, which terms of product and people. were predominantly in the IT space, Our philosophies are competitive the HR policies and philosophies from an employee relations

A view of the audience.

10 Events

KS Venkiteswaran, Chairman, EFSI TN Committee and Advisor, The Sanmar Group Corporate Division, presenting a memento to B Santhanam, Managing Director, Saint Gobain. Ramesh Datla, Chairman and Managing Director, Elico Ltd., and R Mukundan, Managing Director, Tata Chemicals Ltd., are also present. standpoint. They revolve around Business strategy is broken down into customers and the need to constantly a performance based culture with monthly, weekly and daily actions differentiate and be best in class. This earnings linked to performance. and again these are communicated to realisation should result in working Performance is measured through ensure that everyone knows how the together as a team and as responsible standardised metrics and dashboards. parts add up to become the whole. partners; to achieve productivity improvements through constant re- There is continuous communication Salaried, unionised and contract and feedback on the performance employees need to understand skilling and training. against these metrics. the business reality – options with

(L to r): TM Jawaharlal, Secretary EFSI, A Aravamudan, Consultant, A Sundaresan, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Schwing Stetter (India) Pvt Ltd., R Venkataramani, Chairman and Managing Director, India Pistons, B Visweswaran and KS Venkiteswaran.

11 Chemplast partners District Administration in mock off-site emergency drill at Karaikal

A first of its kind off-site emergency at Chemplast Karaikal and the The rescued public and plant

Events disaster management drill was held rehabilitation and reaction timings of personnel were moved to safe houses under the aegis of the Karaikal the disaster management teams were and provided food and water. After district administration at the observed by Additional Collector the drill, a debriefing session was offshore site of Chemplast Sanmar, Mohammed Mansoor in an exclusive held, with the Additional Collector Karaikal, on 6 July 2014. emergency control room established reviewing the performance of The mock drill was conducted near the mock drill site. the various teams and providing dos and don’ts to ensure efficient to ascertain the readiness of the The mock drill encompassed district disaster management disaster management during various departments including the catastrophic incidents. team to react to natural or man- district’s police personnel, traffic made disasters including fire and police personnel, and a variety A video on the Off-site Emergency chemical accidents. of teams–pertaining to rescue Mock Drill was released by District The team was asked to respond to and rehabilitation, medical and Collector E Vallavan on 30 August a stage-managed chlorine leakage hazardous material response. 2014.

Additional Collector Mohammed Mansoor (centre) with district disaster management team.

Mock off-site emergency drill in progress.

12 Training programme on oil pollution preparedness Events

The Indian Coast Guard While Chemplast Sanmar terminals in collaboration with AMET at Karaikal and Cuddalore only University conducted an IMO handle gas and chemical cargo Level 2 training programme rather than oil cargo, the broad for senior terminal managers principles of pollution preparedness in Oil Pollution Preparedness remain the same and hence three Response and Cooperation from senior terminal managers from 7 to 14 August 2014 at the AMET the Chemplast Cuddalore and campus in Kannathur, ECR. Karaikal plants attended this training programme. They won prizes in the The International Convention team competitions at the session. OPRC-90 mandates that all Capt S Krishnamurti, Sanmar Shipping, stakeholders in the oil and the chief guest, delivering the valedictory allied industries have responsible address. designated persons in their employ, at each location, fully capable of appreciating the complexities involved in containing and mitigating the effects of a spill.

1. S Balamurali, 2. R Padmanaban and 3. A Arivudai Nambi of Chemplast Sanmar, receiving certificates and prizes from Col Dr G Thiruvasagam, Vice-Chancellor, AMET University, and Capt S Krishnamurti respectively.

13 Spotting talent from across India: New TNCA rules boost Jolly Rovers’ efforts

The recent amendment of the rules of a keen contributor to Jolly Rovers’ of “imports” who have helped raise the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association triumphs in the recent past, is one the bar for the local talent. Jolly to allow two outstation players to be such player already. Rovers CC has taken advantage of Sporting Sanmar included by Chennai’s first division the new rules of the TNCA league Right from the time the Group teams has been a progressive move that have opened the doors a little adopted Jolly Rivers nearly 50 years to enhance the quality of league wider to outside talent. Here are a few ago, it has sought to bring some cricket in Chennai. The outstanding thumbnail sketches of our guest stars: of the best Indian talent to the ‘imports’ by Sanmar, for instance, Chennai league. From the first Piyush Chawla (25). Outstanding include such exciting talent as arrivals in KR Rajagopal, Najam leg spinner who has represented India Ankeet Bawane, Sheldon Jackson, Hussain, KVR Murthi, V Balaji Rao in Tests, ODIs and T20. A member Deepak Hooda and Vikas Mishra. and PK Dharmalingam from other of the victorious Indian teams in the These have enabled the Sanmar states back in the 1960s through T20 (2008) and ODI (2011) World teams Jolly Rovers and Alwarpet some stellar recruits like Harbhajan Cups. Represents Uttar Pradesh Cricket Club to add to their strength, Singh and Anil Kumble to the more in the Ranji Trophy and plays for as these new recruits are in addition recent recruits like Ajay Kudua, Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL. A good to the national level players from Tinu Yohanan, Sujith Somasundar all rounder, he has scored 4046 runs other states already on Sanmar and Piyush Chawla, Jolly Rovers and taken 354 wickets in 98 first class roles. Leg spinner Piyush Chawla, has maintained a continuous supply matches.

Piyush Chawla Ankeet Ramdas Bawane Sheldon Jackson Robin Singh Bist Uttar Pradesh Maharashtra Saurashtra Rajasthan

1414 Spotting talent from across India: Sanmar Sporting New TNCA rules boost Jolly Rovers’ efforts

Ankeet Ramdas Bawane (21). Prasanth Parameswaran (28). Deepak Hooda (19). A promising Represents Maharashtra in the Ranji This tall, well built left arm fast all rounder (right hand bat and off Trophy. Prolific right hand batsman bowler has been representing Kerala spinner), this tall lad represented who has played for India Under 23. in the Ranji Trophy. In 21 Ranji India in the 2014 Under 19 world Has a batting average of 55.32 with games he has taken 49 wickets at championship. His all round 8 hundreds and 16 fifties in 41 first an average of 31.34. Represents performance (76 not out and 3/31) class matches. Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL. against Sri Lanka won the match for India. Having represented Baroda Sheldon Jackson (27). Explosive Sandeep Sharma (21). Promising in the T20 championship, he is wicketkeeper batsman from fast bowler from Punjab. A member awaiting a call to the Ranji Trophy Saurashtra. Has an average of of the India Under 19 World Cup team. 48.30 in 18 Ranji games, scoring 4 champion team. The accurate Sharma hundreds and 7 fifties. He has been moves the ball both ways. Having Vikas Mishra (21). This tall with KKR and RCB in the IPL. represented India Under-19, India left-arm spinner is a consistent Robin Singh Bist (26).This Under-23, and India A, he is tipped performer for Delhi in the Ranji diminutive Rajasthan batsman has to play for the country soon. Plays Trophy, in which he has 81 wickets 8 hundreds, 22 fifties and an average for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL. In at an average of 29.19 in 24 matches. of 48.94 in 57 Ranji Trophy games. 20 Ranji Trophy games, he has taken He has been selected for the Delhi Has represented India A. 83 wickets at an average of 22.78. Daredevils IPL team.

Prasanth Parameswaran Sandeep Sharma Deepak Hooda Vikas Mishra Kerala Punjab Baroda Delhi

15 Jolly Rovers CC wins the VAP Trophy

Jolly Rovers-Chemplast Sanmar lifted the VA Parthasarathy Memorial trophy beating Vijay CC by 3 wickets at the IIT Chemplast grounds on 11

Sporting Sanmar August 2014. The Rovers’ triumph follows its win over the same opponent in the final of the TNCA first division league this year. Jolly Rovers, with its formidable batting line-up, got off to a fantastic start with a fine partnership between KH Gopinath (77) and Sheldon Jackson. Later, Piyush Chawla (31) essayed some bright strokes. On a sluggish surface, runs became harder as the innings progressed. K Srikkanth, former India Test State Chief Selector S Sharath were Gopinath was adjudged the Player of Captain was the Chief Guest. RI present on the occasion. the Tournament and Man of the Final. Palani, Joint Secretary TNCA, and The VAP Trophy champions.

16 Sanmar-TNTA League title retained by MCC Sanmar Sporting

It was a display of quality tennis during The Sanmar -TNTA Chennai City Club League Championship 2014 at the Besant Nagar court in the months of April and June this year. Day one of the deciding rounds saw title holders Madras Cricket Club “A” defeat the Besant Nagar Club “A” to win in straight sets. The second day witnessed an interesting and entertaining doubles game by both teams in both the matches played.

N Sankar gave away the trophy to the proud winners.

17 Ninth Danish Consular Conference at Copenhagen An eyewitness account by SB Prabhakar Rao The Honorary Vice Consul of the Danish Consulate in South India, SB Prabhakar Rao, attended the Ninth Consular Conference 2014

People and Places for Honorary Consuls, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Denmark, during 23 - 25 June at Copenhagen.

Prabhakar Rao reports that the meet was well attended by over 400 Consuls, most of them accompanied by their spouses. Prime Minister Ms. Helle Thorning-Schmidt addressed the Royalty at the Royal Danish Theatre. assembled Consuls on the global challenges, with creative solutions Denmark and His Royal Highness paid a visit to the Director General for a prosperous and sustainable the Prince Consort. An impressive of the Danish National Museum future for Denmark. She made performance of opera music and and the Director of the Danish an impressive exhortation and ballet dance at the Royal Danish National Archives where some emphasised the significant role Theatre in the august presence of rare original documents have been that Honorary Consuls could play royalty gave a fitting conclusion preserved for over four centuries, to make Denmark economically to the conference. Prabhakar Rao and discussed the progress of strong. The Consuls had an exchanged courtesies with Princess on-going projects at Tamil Nadu occasion to meet with some leading Benedikte who had presented the Archives. Danish business organisations. Belønningsmedalje Med Krone to There was a clear endorsement him when she visited Chennai, in on the role of honorary consuls 2004 Rao met with former Danish Ambassadors to India, Mr. Bjarne Mr and Mrs SB Prabhakar Rao globally, and the MFA expressed with former Danish Ambassadors to H Sorensen, Ms. Birgit Storgaard keenness to involve them more India Mr.Ole Lonsmann Poulsen and effectively. and Mr. Ole Lonsmann Poulsen. He Ms. Birgit Storgaard in Copenhagen.

A dinner at the House of Confederation of Danish Industry was attended by Her Majesty the Queen of

18 Beyond Sanmar ‘Coming Together’ at Madhuram Narayanan Centre

It was ‘Coming Together’ This programme provides a platform (Samyam) of sorts at the for healthy interaction, maintaining Madhuram Narayanan Centre continuity with the Centre and when the exceptional children to motivate new parents face the from three stages were brought challenge in bringing up and training together on 19 July 2014. their children. Samyam, which began last year Chief Guest K Manivasan IAS, was conceived to bring students Commissioner for Differently past and present and new entrants Abled, Government of Tamil together at the Centre. The present Nadu, addressed the gathering and students and the new entrants find distributed prizes to the children. inspiration in meeting the past students and interacting with them. The past students find guidance and reassurance from the teachers that they are on the right track.

19 CSR activities at Chemplast Cuddalore and Karaikal

An RO system for providing clean Beyond Sanmar drinking water was installed at the Government Girls Primary School, TR Pattinam, and the Government Primary School at Pattinacherry near Karaikal.

International Coastal Clean up day was organised by Coast Guard Station, Karaikal, on 20 September 2014 at Karaikal beach. Government Departments, NCC from schools and colleges and public participated in the cleanup. Chemplast Sanmar, Karaikal, sponsored the event.

A sizable financial contribution was made to fishermen in Chittarapettai village near Cuddalore to meet part of their medical expenses. The cheque was handed over to Chittarapettai Panchayat.

20 Beyond Sanmar Chemplast’s spoken English programme at Mettur

Chemplast has started a programme to impart basic and spoken English to the rural students of Vaidheeswara Higher Secondary School, Mettur. The programme aims to improve language proficiency in basic and spoken English and instil confidence in writing simple English as well as raise the overall quality and academic merit of the students. Students in Classes IX and X standard will benefit from this facility, extended for a four-hour duration every week for 25 weeks. An evaluation will be done at the end of each session to monitor the progress made by the students.

New batch at Chemplast Mettur tailoring training centre

A fresh batch of 56 women from the villages of Kozhipannai and Thangampuripattinam joined the Chemplast tailoring training centre at Mettur on 23 August 2014. After attending the training programme for three months, they will be equipped to stitch on their own, earning a decent income and supplement their family income.

21 in physics. Graduating in 1945, he Raja Ramanna (1925-2004) pursued higher studies in England, where he obtained a PhD in nuclear physics from King's College, London in 1948.

Ramanna was highly influenced by distinguished scientist Homi Jehangir Bhabha whom he met in 1944. On a visit to London, Bhabha offered Ramanna a job at the Tata

Legends from the South Legends from Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), the cradle of India's atomic energy programme.

Joining TIFR on 1 December 1949, Ramanna was offered two adjacent rooms, the first one for him, and the second for his piano! The ground floor became the nuclear laboratory of physics from where he started his project on nuclear fission and scattering. Here, he made several contributions in different areas of neutron, nuclear, and reactor physics.

Ramanna organised the physics Eminent nuclear physicist, great inspiration from his parents. and reactor physics programmes at accomplished technologist, able Another early influence was aunt Bhabha Atomic Research Centre administrator, gifted musician, Rajamma, widowed at an early (BARC), Trombay. In 1956, when scholar of Sanskrit literature and age, who became the headmistress India's first nuclear reactor, Apsara, philosophy–rarely has Indian public of a Government Middle School, was commissioned, Ramanna was life witnessed a more versatile all battling the odds stacked against a one of the youngest reactor physicists rounder than Dr Raja Ramanna, who woman in her position. in the team. When the BARC led the country’s nuclear research Raja had his early education in Training School was established programme with distinction and Mysore, and joined Bishop Cotton in 1957 to develop the skilled held its first nuclear test at Pokhran, Boys' School, Bangalore, when manpower required for facing the Rajasthan, in 1974. his parents moved to that city. He challenging problems in nuclear Born on 28 January 1925 to eminent went to St. Joseph's School for his science and technology it was led by judge B Ramanna and bibliophile intermediate studies, and eventually Ramanna. He held the position of Rukminiamma at Tumkur, joined the Madras Christian College the Director of BARC during 1972- Karnataka, Raja Ramanna drew in Tambaram for B. Sc (Hons) degree 78 and 1981-83.

22 Raja Ramanna was associated with India’s growth in the field of science Posts Held Legends from the South a number of science academies and and technology. learning bodies across India. He • Chairman, Governing India's first peaceful nuclear experiment helped in setting up the Centre for Council, Indian Institute was carried out underground in Advanced Technology at Indore in of Science, Bangalore the Rajasthan desert on May 18, the early 1980s. It was dedicated • Council of Management, 1974. Ramanna said, “The Pokhran to the development of advanced Jawaharlal Nehru Centre experiment was a landmark in the accelerators, lasers, and other related for Advanced Scientific history of nuclear research in the technologies. He also lent his support Research, Bangalore country. It was an assertion of the to the establishment of the Variable • Chairman, Board of technological advancement India had Energy Cyclotron Centre (VEC) in Governors, Indian Institute determined to perfect in the post- Calcutta. He became the founder- of Technology, Bombay, independence era.” director of the National Institute 1972-78 of Advanced Studies (NIAS), an An accomplished pianist, Ramanna • President, Indian National institution set up by JRD Tata in authored, “The Structure of Music, Science Academy, 1977-78 Bangalore. Ramanna served his in Raga and Western Systems”, a • Vice-President, Indian later years in supporting science comparative study of great merit. He Academy of Sciences, 1977-79 institutions throughout the nation was actively involved in setting up the • Scientific Advisor to the as President of the Indian National Bangalore School of Music. He was Minister of Defence, 1978-81 Science Academy, Scientific Advisor seriously interested in philosophy and • Director-General of Defence Committee to Director General of yoga. A simple man with a nice sense Research and Development International Atomic Energy Agency, of humour, he remained accessible and Organisation (DRDO), President of 30th General Conference friendly all his life. 1978-81 of the International Atomic Energy Ramanna died on 24th September, • Secretary for Defence Agency, Vice President of Indian 2004 at Mumbai after a cardiac arrest. Research, Government of Academy of Sciences, President of India Indian National Science Academy, Honours • Chairman, Atomic Energy and President of General Conference Commission, 1983-87 of Atomic Energy Agency at Vienna. • Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award, 1963 • President, General A truly hands-on scientist, Ramanna • Padma Shri Award, 1968 Conference of Atomic made several important contributions Energy Agency, Vienna, • Padma Bhushan Award, 1973 to nuclear physics. An admirer of his 1986 • Padma Vibhushan Award, 1975 predecessors Homi Bhabha and • Secretary, Department of Vikram Sarabhai in India's nuclear • Meghnad Saha Medal of the Indian Atomic Energy energy programme, Ramanna played National Science Academy, 1984 • Director, Bhabha Atomic a key role in placing the country's • Om Prakash Bhasin Award, 1985 Research Centre, 1972-78 indigenous nuclear capabilities on a • R.D. Birla Memorial Award, 1986 and 1981-83 firm footing. His work helped shape • Asutosh Mookerji Gold Medal, • Director, National Institute the development of nuclear energy 1996 of Advanced Studies, and nuclear energy security in quite • D.Sc. (Honoris Causa) by several IISC campus, Bangalore, significant ways. Like Sarabhai before universities 1987-89 and 1990-97. him, he led the way in accelerating

23 A publication of The Sanmar Group

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