When Manmohan Singh Sought "Primer" On Department Of Atomic Energy

As erudite as he was, one of the first things Manmohan Singh did after he became prime minister in 2004 was to ask Dr Anil Kakodkar, then chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, for a "primer" on his department.

It was not that Dr Singh, an economist-turned-politician, was unfamiliar with India's nuclear energy and weapons situation, noted Dr Kakodkar, reminiscing about his interactions with the former PM who died in Delhi on Thursday at age 92.

Before he became PM, Dr Singh had served as a member of the AEC.

"I was surprised at this demand for a primer, because of the time constraints a prime minister has. I told him that the primer on the subject cannot be restricted to two pages," Dr Kakodkar told PTI on Friday.

"He said page restrictions did not matter." Soon, he had a detailed note running into 15-20 pages ready for the prime minister.

"Dr Singh had an eye for details. He read the primer for an hour and a half, with me sitting beside him, understanding the nuances involved in this strategic department. At the prime minister's level, you do not expect this," Dr Kakodkar said.

The Department of Atomic Energy reports directly to the Prime Minister's Office. Dr Kakodkar served as DAE secretary and chairman of the AEC from 2000 to 2009.

It was under Dr Singh that the historic Indo-US nuclear deal was signed in October 2008, paving the way for strategic cooperation not only with the US but also other developed countries in areas of nuclear energy, space and defence research.

There was a section within the government that wanted to expedite the nuclear deal citing economic benefits, Dr Kakodkar said.

"He was an economist who was well aware of the economic benefits after the Indo-US nuclear deal. But Dr Singh ensured that India goes ahead with the deal only after securing its strategic interests. He was very firm on that," he said.

One of the hallmarks of the Indo-US nuclear deal was that not all atomic reactors were placed under the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), ensuring that India did not have to shelve its nuclear weapons programme.

After his visit to the US in 2005, when Dr Kakodkar accompanied Dr Singh and during which hectic parleys took place on the nuclear deal, Dr Singh paid him a generous compliment.

"He placed a hand on my shoulder and said, 'You saved the country (referring to the terms and conditions of the deal)'," said the former AEC chairman.

The former PM was a wise, knowledgeable person who never threw his weight around, always heard out everyone's view and gave his colleagues freedom to work, Dr Kakodkar said.

When the construction of the country's Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor was to start, the DAE invited Dr Singh for its launch at Kalpakkam. Dr Singh honoured the request, Dr Kakodkar recalled.

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