Renouned scientist Sekhar Basu took charge as director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, BARC. He played a key role in the development of atomic reactor for India's indigenous nuclear submarine INS Arihant. The 59-year-old Basu was also the project director of the Plutonium Recycling Project at Kalpakkam, which built the country's first indigenous Pressurised Water Reactor, powered by enriched uranium.
Basu succeeds R K Sinha, who has been elevated as chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and secretary, Department of Atomic Energy last month. He took charge as BARC director at a function in Mumbai yesterday.