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                       | Patna,(BiharTimes):   Ratan Kumar Sinha, Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, who originally   hails from Bhagalpur in Bihar, on Monday took over as Chairman of the Atomic   Energy Commission (AEC) and Secretary Department of Atomic Energy from Srikumar   Banerjee, who retired after 45 years of distinguished service. He assumed charge   at a simple ceremony in Mumbai.  |   Experts say that his   appointment comes at a time when India plans to expand its nuclear power   generation capacities exponentially and has set an ambitious target generating   63,000 MW of atomic power by 2032.Born on October 23,   1951, Mr. Sinha joined the 16th batch of the BARC Training School in   1973 and has been guiding the next generation Advanced Heavy Water Reactor   (AHWR). He did his Mechanical   Engineer from the then Bihar College of Engineering, now NIT Patna, in 1973. In   fact he was the topper in his branch.
     Sinha spearheaded the   development of several remote inspection technologies to address inspection,   life extension and replacement of the coolant channel components of pressurised   heavy water reactors (PHWRs), which has enabled continued safe operation of   seven Indian PHWRs up to nearly ten full power years. He has also   contributed to the rehabilitation of the two reactors of Madras Atomic Power   Station (MAPS) in Kalpakkam, following the failure of the moderator inlet   manifold inside the calandria vessel there.    
     Mr Sinha was also   associated with the design, development and installation of coolant channels and   other core-internal structural components of the country’s first indigenous 100   MW Dhruva Research Reactor at BARC. Reports from Mumbai   said that in his farewell speech, the outgoing chairman Mr Banerjee emphasised   the continuity of the programme of DAE, which has both short and long term goals   for expanding the nuclear installed capacity in the country for making larger   contribution to the energy sector.
     He also emphasised on   expansion in deployment of other technologies being pursued by the DAE for   larger societal benefits.   comments... |