When India scripted history in Pokhran under Vajpayee's leadership


Jaipur, Aug 17 (IANS): Twenty years ago, India scripted a success story on May 11 and May 13, 1998 when five nuclear tests were performed in Rajasthan's Pokhran under the guidance of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who had assumed power only a little while ago.

It was a completely secret exercise only known to a select few.

On May 11, 1998, Jaisalmer woke up to an ordinary day. However, there were a few bulldozers heading to a particular site to dig up well-like sites. Sand was filled into these wells.

Within a few minutes, they were ignited. It was followed by a huge thunder that brought loud cheer from a few scientists at the site who had kept a constant vigil on all the developments.

In Delhi, Vajpayee along with the then Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani, former Defence Minister George Fernandes, Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha and Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, Brijesh Mishra, were sitting with bated breath.

However, the moment, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who happened to be the Scientific Advisor to Vajpayee, sent a message on the hotline, saying, "Buddha smiles again", all of them jumped with joy.

The former Prime Minister immediately called the scientists to congratulate them on their success.

The tests left the Western world shocked and surprised.

India gained a new identity after the tests. However, there were economic sanctions imposed by the US.

An unfazed Vajpayee, however, continued with the next round of nuclear tests two days later.

  

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Comment on this article

  • SMR, Karkala

    Fri, Aug 17 2018

    India started its own nuclear programme in 1944 when Homi J. Bhabha founded the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. In 1954, Bhabha steered the nuclear programme in the direction of weapons design and production.In July 1958, Nehru authorised "Project Phoenix" to build a reprocessing plant with a capacity of 20 tons of fuel a year. The nuclear programme continued to mature, and by 1960, Nehru made the critical decision to move the programme into production.

    In 1967, Indira Gandhi became the prime minister and work on the nuclear programme resumed with renewed vigour. Homi Sethna, a chemical engineer, played a significant role in the development of weapon-grade plutonium while Ramanna designed and manufactured the whole nuclear device.On 7 September 1972, near the peak of her post-war popularity, Indira Gandhi authorized the Bhabha Atomic Research Center to manufacture a nuclear device and prepare it for a test. Although the Indian Army was not fully involved in the nuclear testing, the army's highest command was kept fully informed of the test preparations.
    The device was formally called the "Peaceful Nuclear Explosive", but it was usually referred to as the Smiling Buddha. The device was detonated on 18 May 1974, Buddha Jayanti a festival day in India marking the birth of Gautama Buddha. Indira Gandhi maintained tight control of all aspects of the preparations of the Smiling Buddha test, which was conducted in extreme secrecy; besides Gandhi, only advisers Parmeshwar Haksar and Durga Dhar were kept informed.
    Former PM Indira Gandhi scripted history in Pokhran much before Vajpayee's. The credit should go to Homi J. Bhabha, Raja Ramanna, P. K. Iyengar, R. Chidambaram, Homi Sethna ,Nehru and Indira Gandhi.
    Late Vajpayee's only retested its accuracy which is already existing.
    Jai hind

    DisAgree [3] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Fri, Aug 17 2018

    Vajpayee's leadership was Honest & Scam Free ...

    DisAgree [1] Agree [11] Reply Report Abuse

  • vijay, uae

    Fri, Aug 17 2018

    That era of vajapayee ji advani yashvanth sinha fernades cant compare vth PRESENT BLUE JEOPARDY PARTY jokers jumlaa feku daku nd crook aprty rss sanghi SPONSORED bjp ....DICTATOR ONE MAN NRI moooooodi.

    DisAgree [19] Agree [28] Reply Report Abuse

  • divya, bondel

    Fri, Aug 17 2018

    Vijay ... ha ha ha ha ha please ready your comments .. frustration level.. Fir se Namo ..

    DisAgree [21] Agree [13] Reply Report Abuse

  • vijay, uae

    Fri, Aug 17 2018

    HI DIVYA
    AM I SAYING RIGHT NA.. hope ur heart dint broke.its reality

    DisAgree [15] Agree [19] Reply Report Abuse

  • HENRY MISQUITH, Bahrain

    Fri, Aug 17 2018

    Phir se FEKU chaiwala...

    DisAgree [9] Agree [22] Reply Report Abuse

  • HENRY MISQUITH, Bahrain

    Fri, Aug 17 2018

    BJP won't get a leader like Atal Bihari Vajpayee in coming days..

    DisAgree [5] Agree [31] Reply Report Abuse

  • Adithya, Udupi/Bangalore

    Fri, Aug 17 2018

    Why don't you comment about the 10 years of Gandhi era.. Lots of Scams!!

    DisAgree [17] Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ravi, Kapu

    Fri, Aug 17 2018

    vijay, uae
    ooooooohhhh.. burning burning.. BHEL mobile supporters.
    After 2019 election results, people here can continue with the same old rant

    DisAgree [7] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • Reshmi Salian, Mangalore

    Sat, Aug 18 2018

    Yes..condition of rupee value today proves current government's good governance.

    DisAgree Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • Reshmi Salian, Mangalore

    Fri, Aug 17 2018

    Vijay....Vajapayee era was filled with true deshbhakhti with strong finance minister Sinha, strong defence minister George Fernandes...but now we have only jokers. Fake nationalists. Stupid finance minister Jaitley and defence minister not interested in defence but mostly interested in defending scams by her colleagues.

    DisAgree [5] Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse


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