A Tamil Nadu born scientist has been appointed as the new chief of Heavy Water Board, a strategic unit under the Department of Atomic Energy. U Kamatchi Mudali, from Erode district in Tamil Nadu has been appointed as the Chief Executive of Heavy Water Board, an institution producing heavy water required for pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWR).
It is significant to note that Mudali’s appointment comes at a time when the Narendra Modi Government at the Centre has given a major push to the project of setting up series of PHWRs in the country as part of the Make In India campaign.
The HWB, which has seven plants spread across the country at Kota, Thal, Talcher, Hazira, Baroda, Manuguru and Thoothukkudi produces heavy water used as moderator in the PHWRs.
These plants also produce materials like boron, sodium, potassium and oxygen-18 which find applications in many sectors ranging from industry, health and agriculture.
Kamatchi, a renowned metallurgist, has specialised in advanced corrosion resistance and coating technology. A release issued by the DAE said that Kamachi hailing from Brammadesam, near Anthiyur, Erode had his early education at Government High School, Anthiyur in Erode and Applied Science degrees at Coimbatore Institute of Technology and PSG College of Technology.