Milestones achieved by Department of Atomic Energy in India

January 19, 2011 - Unit 4 of Kaiga synchronised to grid.

December 7, 2010 - India and France sign agreement for fuel supply

November 27, 2010 - Unit 4 of Kaiga achieves first criticality

March 31, 2010 - Unit 6 of Rajasthan Atomic Power Station commences commercial operations

March 29, 2010 - India and USA complete negotiations on "arrangements and procedures" for reprocessing U.S.-obligated spent nuclear fuel

March 28, 2010 - Unit 6 of Rajasthan Atomic Power Station Syncronised to grid

March 12, 2010 - India & Russia agree on a Roadmap for construction of reactors of Russian design in India

February 11, 2010 - India and United Kingdon sign joint declaration on nuclear cooperation

January 23, 2010 - Unit 6 of Rajasthan Atomic Power Station achieves first criticality

December 22, 2009 - Unit 5 of Raps synchronised to grid

November 11, 2009 - Unit 5 of RAPS achives first criticality

September 30, 2008 - India and France sign agreement on cooperation for peaceful uses of Nuclear Energy

April 7, 2008: Low power critical facility at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) attains first criticality.

March 13, 2008-  DAE and University Institute of Chemical Technology (UICT), Mumbai sign MoU to establish a new DAE-UICT Centre for Chemical Engineering Education and Research.

September 2007 -  Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) develop a 32 metre diameter Indian Deep Space Antenna System – IDSN 32 for providing steering, tracking and science data reception support for ISRO’s Moon Mission – Chandrayaan – I.

August 31, 2007 -  Units 3 & 4 of the Tarapur Atomic Power Station dedicated to the Nation.

August 2007 - The BARC Training School completes 50 years. The setting up of the Training School in 1957 has provided almost the entire human resource for the nuclear programme in India.

1 August, 2007 -  India and USA sign agreement on cooperation for peaceful uses of Nuclear Energy

June 25, 2007 -  The first Opencast Uranium Mine of Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), inaugurated at Banduhurang. A Uranium Ore Processing Plant, also of UCIL inaugurated at Turamdih in Singhbum (East) district of Jharkhand.

May 6, 2007 -  Unit – 3 of Kaiga Atomic Power Project declared commercial.

April 26, 2007 -  India exports the first consignment of 720 kg Alfonso and Keasr mangoes to the US after being irradiated at BARC’s KRUSHAK plant at Lasalgaon, Nashik.

April 14, 2007 - Unit – 3 of Kaiga Atomic Power Project is synchronized with the southern grid.

February 26, 2007: Unit – 3 of the 220 MWe Kaiga Atomic Power Project in North Karnataka attains criticality. The criticality is achieved in less than 5 years, the first pour of concrete having been done in March 2002.

November 21, 2006: India signs agreement to join International Thermo-nuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project.

August 18, 2006: TAPP – 3 goes commercial.

August 4, 2006: APSARA the first nuclear research reactor in the whole of Asia completes 50 years.

June 15, 2006: TAPP – 3 synchronized with the grid.

May 21, 2006: The 540 MWe Unit – 3 of Tarapur Atomic power Project (TAPP – 3) attains criticality.

December 17, 2005: Centre for Advanced Technology (CAT) Indore dedicated in the memory of Dr. Raja Ramanna. The centre renamed as Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT).

December 5, 2005: India is admitted to the International Thermo-nuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) venture. Other parties in this venture are China, European Union, Japan, South Korea and United States.

August 27, 2005: The 450 MeV electron beam injected in the Storage Ring of Indus – 2 (2.5 GeV Synchrotron Radiation Source) completes full four rounds. Later on December 2, 2005 first synchrotron light from Indus – 2 is recorded. On December 17, 2005 this 2.5 GeV SRS is dedicated to the nation.

June 2005: The first computerized indigenous telecobalt unit Bhabhatron – 1 is installed at the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research & Education in Cancer (ACTREC).

June 4, 2005: Setting up of Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI) at Mumbai is announced. The institute a deemed university under the aegis of DAE is formed with the objective of accelerating the pace of basic research and translation of basic research into technology development.

June 4, 2005: TAPS 4 synchronized to the grid

March 6, 2005: India's first 540 MWe Nuclear Power Reactor Tarapur Unit 4 Attains Criticality.

2003: 1.7 MeV Tandetron Accelerator and the demo facility Lead Mini Cell (LMC) for reprocessing of FBTR carbide fuel on lab scale are commissioned at IGCAR.

November 2002: UCIL's Turamdih Mine, Jharkhand is inaugurated and Technology Demonstration Pilot Plant becomes operational at Jaduguda.

October 31, 2002: Waste Immobilization Plant and Uranium-Thorium Separation Plant at (both at Trombay) and the Radiation Processing Plant Krushak at Lasalgaon, district Nasik, Maharashtra are dedicated to the Nation.

September 18, 2002: First pour of concrete of Unit-5 of Rajasthan Atomic Power Project 5 & 6.

March 31, 2002: First pour of concrete of Units 1 & 2 of Kudankulam Atomic Power Project.

March 30 & May 10, 2002: First pours of concrete respectively of Unit-3 and Unit-4 of Kaiga Atomic Power Project 3 & 4.

February 12, 2002: India signs the biggest contract with the Russian Federation for the Nuclear Power Station at Kudankulam, Tamil Nadu.

March 18, 2001: Units 3 & 4 of Rajasthan Atomic Power Stations dedicated to the nation.

2001: FBTR fuel reaches burn up of 100,000 MWd/T.

November 16, 2000: Unit - 1 of Kaiga Atomic Power Station becomes commercial.

November 03, 2000: Unit-4 of Rajasthan Atomic Power station attains criticality. It creates history by synchronizing with the grid within a period of 14 days on November 17, 2000. The unit becomes commercial on December 23, 2000.

September 26, 2000: Unit-1 of Kaiga Atomic Power station attains criticality. It synchronizes to the grid on October 12, 2000.

April 21, 2000: Folded Tandem Ion Accelerator (FOTIA) at Trombay delivers first beam on target.

March 2000 & May 2000: First concrete pour of Unit-3 and Unit-4 of Tarapur Atomic Power Project - 3 & 4.

March 8, 2000: Tarapur Atomic Power Project – 3 & 4 rises up.

2000: Boron Enrichment Plant is commissioned at IGCAR, Kalpakkam.

January 1, 2000: BRIT's Radiation Processing Plant at Vashi, Navi Mumbai is commissioned.

December 24, 1999: Unit-3 of Rajasthan Atomic Power Station attains criticality. It is synchronized to the grid on March 10, 2000 and becomes commercial on June 2, 2000.

September 24, 1999: Unit-2 of Kaiga Atomic Power Station attains criticality. It is synchronized to the grid on December 02, 1999 and becomes commercial on March 16, 2000.

July 1999: Solid Storage and Surveillance Facility (S3F) is commissioned at Tarapur.

April 22, 1999: 450 MeV Synchrotron Radiation Source Indus-1 achieves electron beam current of 113 milli-ampere superceding the design value of 100 milli-ampere.

August 10, 1998: The 500 keV industrial electron accelerator developed indigenously by the BARC is commissioned for its first phase of operation. Ammonium diuranate (ADU) production commences at Rare Earths Division of IRE at Alwaye, Kerala.

May 27, 1998: Rajasthan Atomic Power Station Unit-2 is re-commissioned after enmasse replacement of coolant channels.

May 11 & 13, 1998: Five underground nuclear tests are conducted at Pokhran Range, Rajasthan.

December 1997: Jaduguda Mill is expanded to treat 2,090 tonnes ore per day. PRYNCE (95% Neodymium Oxide) Plant is commissioned at Rare Earths Division.

March 31, 1997: Rajasthan Atomic Power Station Unit-1 is recommissioned.

1997: AMD discovers of uranium mineralisation in brecciated limestone at Gogi, Gulbarga district, Karnataka in the Bhima basin. Microzir Plant is commissioned in Chavra, Kerala.

October 20, 1996: Kalpakkam Mini Reactor (KAMINI) with Uranium-233 fuel attains criticality at IGCAR, Tamilnadu.

March 27, 1996: Kalpakkam Reprocessing Plant (KARP) is cold commissioned. KARP is dedicated to the nation on September 15, 1998.

1996: 30 kWt Kamini Reactor attains criticality. The reactor is taken to full power in September, 1997.

January 1995: Narwapahar mine is inaugurated.

1995: Research Irradiator Gamma Chamber 5000 is launched by BRIT.

1993: BARC supplies one millionth radio-isotope consignment.

September 03, 1992: Kakrapar Atomic Power Station - Unit I attains criticality. Its Unit II attains criticality on January 08, 1995.

1992: First remotely operated radiography camera is launched. Significant heavy mineral concentration along the East Coast, Andhra Pradesh is identified. New Thorium Plant at OSCOM, Chhattrapur, Orissa is commissioned by IRE.

May 16, 1991: First ECR heavy ion source of the country becomes operational at the Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre.

1991: AMD discovers uranium mineralisation at Lambapur, Nalgonda district, Andhra Pradesh and produces upgraded xenotime concentrate at ‘Pre-concentrate Upgradation Plant’ (PUP) at Kunkuri.

November 09, 1990: Research Reactor PURNIMA-III, a Uranium-233 fueled reactor attains criticality.

1990: Dolostone - hosted uranium mineralization in the western margin of Cuddapah basin is discovered. Mineral Research Development Centre (MRDC) of IRE is launched at Kollam. HERO Plant is commissioned at Alwaye. Dredge & Wet Concentrator Plant at Chavara, Kerala is commissioned.

March 12, 1989: Narora Atomic Power Station Unit I attains criticality. Its Unit II attains criticality on October 24, 1991.

January 3, 1989: Regional Radiation Medicine Centre (RRMC) is inaugurated at Kolkata.

1989: AMD Training School is inaugurated. Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology (BRIT) is constituted.

December 30, 1988: 12 MV Pelletron Accelerator is inaugurated in Mumbai. The accelerator is a joint endeavour of BARC & TIFR.

1988: AMD hands over the Kuttumangalam and Vettumadia sand deposits, Tamil Nadu to IRE.

September 17, 1987: Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) is formed by converting the erstwhile Nuclear Power Board.

1987: AMD hands over Turamdih (West) uranium deposits to UCIL and beach sand deposits in Tamil Nadu to IRE.

December 1986: Mosaboni Uranium Recovery Plant of UCIL is commissioned.

October 1986: Bhatin Mine is commissioned by UCIL and the ore is transported to Jaduguda mill for processing.

1986: Dredge Mining, Mineral Separation and Synthetic Rutile Plant at OSCOM, Chhatrapur, Orissa is commissioned by IRE. HERO Project at Alwaye, Kerala, is commissioned. Production is started at OSCOM.

December 18, 1985.- Reactor Research centre is named as Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR)

October 18, 1985: FBTR at IGCAR attains criticality.

August 08, 1985: Research Reactor DHRUVA (100 MWt) attains criticality. It attains full power on January 17, 1988.

March 05, 1985: Waste Immobilization Plant (WIP) at Tarapur is commissioned.

1985: AMD hands over the Bodal uranium deposit to UCIL.

May 10, 1984: Research Reactor PURNIMA-II, a Uranium-233 fueled homogenous reactor attains criticality.

March 08, 1984: Plutonium - Uranium mixed Carbide Fuel for Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) is fabricated at Trombay.

February 19, 1984: Centre for Advanced Technology (CAT) at Indore (Madhya Pradesh) is inaugurated.

January 27, 1984: Madras Atomic Power Station - Unit I at Kalpakkam starts commercial operation. Unit II goes commercial on March 21, 1986.

1984: Sandstone-type uranium deposit at Domiasiat, Meghalaya is discovered.

November 15, 1983: Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) in Mumbai is constituted.

February 1983: Rakha Uranium Recovery Plant of UCIL is commissioned.

1983: FBTR attains first criticality.

November 19, 1982: BARC's Power Reactor Fuel Reprocessing Plant at Tarapur is commissioned.

November 18, 1979: Plutonium-Uranium Mixed Oxide (MoX) fuel is fabricated at Trombay.

1979: AMD hands over Bhatin and Turamdih (East) uranium deposits (now in Jharkhand State) to UCIL.

1978: High-sensitivity airborne spectrometric and magnetometric surveys started.

June 16, 1977: Variable Energy Cyclotron becomes operational at Kolkata.

September 1975: Surda Uranium Recovery Plant of UCIL is commissioned.

May 1975: Commercial production of by-products - Molybdenum and Copper concentrates starts.

March 1975: Commercial production of Uranium Mineral Concentrates from Copper plant tailings at Surda, Hindustan Copper Limited commenced.

May 18, 1974: Peaceful underground Nuclear Experiment is conducted at Pokhran, Rajasthan.

1974: By-product Recovery Plant of UCIL at Jaduguda is commissioned.

November 30, 1972: Unit-1 of Rajasthan Atomic Power Station at Rawatbhatta near Kota, Rajasthan begins commercial operation. Unit II goes commercial on November 1, 1980.

May 18, 1972: Research Reactor PURNIMA-I attains criticality.

February 3, 1972: DAE Safety Review Committee is formed.

1972: AMD hands over the beach sand heavy mineral deposits of Chhatrapur, Orissa and Neendakara-Kayankulam, Kerala to IRE.

February 18, 1971: Plutonium fuel for Research Reactor PURNIMA-I is fabricated at Trombay.

September 06, 1970: Uranium-233 is separated from irradiated Thorium.

1970: AMD hands over the Uranium Deposit at Narwapahar to UCIL.

October 02, 1969: Tarapur Atomic Power Station starts commercial operation.

May 01, 1969: Heavy Water Projects is constituted at Mumbai. This later becomes Heavy Water Board.

March 12, 1969: Reactor Research Centre (RRC) starts at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu. The Centre is fully established in 1971.

December 31, 1968: Nuclear Fuel Complex is set up at Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh.

May 1968: Uranium Mill at Jaduguda with a capacity of 1,000 TPD commences commercial production of Magnesium diuranate (yellow cake). Jaduguda Mine Shaft is commissioned in November 1968.

October 4, 1967: Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) is established with head quarters at Jaduguda Mines in Jharkhand (then Bihar).

June 1, 1967: Power Projects Engineering Division (PPED), Mumbai is formed. The Division is subsequently converted to Nuclear Power Board on August 17, 1984.

April 11, 1967: Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) is set up at Hyderabad for producing electronic systems, instruments and components.

January 22, 1967: AEET is named as Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).

January 22, 1965: Plutonium Plant is inaugurated at Trombay.

1965: IRE takes over operation of Mineral Processing Unit at Manavalakurichi in Tamil Nadu and at Chavara in Kerala.

January 14, 1961: Research Reactor ZERLINA attains criticality. (It is decommissioned in 1983).

July 10, 1960: CIRUS – the 40 MWt research reactor attains criticality. After its successful refurbishment, the reactor was dedicated to the Nation on October 31, 2002.

February 19, 1960: First lot of 10 Fuel Elements for CIRUS reactor is fabricated at Trombay.

January 30, 1959: Uranium Metal Plant at Trombay produces Uranium.

August 19, 1957: AEET Training School starts functioning at Trombay.

January 20, 1957: Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay (AEET) is inaugurated.

August 04, 1956: APSARA - first research reactor in Asia, attains criticality at Trombay, Mumbai.

1956: AMD discovers uranium mineralization at Umra, Rajasthan.

August 01, 1955: Thorium Plant at Trombay goes into production. Thorium Plant at Trombay is closed.

August 03, 1954: Department of Atomic Energy is created.

December 24, 1952: Rare Earths Plant of IRE at Alwaye, Kerala, is dedicated to the nation and production of Rare Earths & Thorium – Uranium concentrate commences.

April 1951: Uranium Deposit at Jaduguda is discovered by AMD. Drilling operations commence in December 1951.

August 18, 1950: Indian Rare Earths Limited (IRE) owned by the Government of India and Government of Travancore, Cochine, is set up for recovering minerals, processing of rare earths compounds and Thorium - Uranium concentrates. In 1963, IRE becomes a full-fledged government undertaking under DAE

July 29, 1949: Rare Minerals Survey Unit brought under Atomic Energy Commission and named as ‘Raw Materials Division’ (RMD) with Headquarters at New Delhi. In 1958, this unit becomes Atomic Minerals Division (AMD) and later in 1974 shifts to Hyderabad. It is renamed as Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD) on July 29, 1998.

August 10, 1948: Atomic Energy Commission is constituted.

April 15, 1948: Atomic Energy Act is passed

December 19, 1945: Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) Mumbai is inaugurated.

March 12, 1944: Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha writes to Sir Dorabji Tata Trust for starting Nuclear Research in India