For several years Baldev Raj, Director of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Research at Kalpakkam, was active in the spread of information on nuclear power technology. The long years of development of fast breeder test reactors and the prototype fast breeder reactors received impetus under Raj. I remember the several seminars and conferences he organised that helped expand information on nuclear power. After retirement, Raj took charge as Director of the National Institute of Advanced Studies Bengaluru and expanded the institute through multidisciplinary pursuits, utilising his stature to take it closer to the government decision-making process. This substantially helped in enlarging research grants and, in turn, the expansion of faculty strength. Raj was a prolific author of around 1000 academic papers and more than 70 books. Padma Sri Raj was the recipient of more than 100 awards and assignments in more than 30 countries.
