Pondicherry University and IGCAR Jointly organize National Workshop on Nuclear Energy for a Sustainable Environment

Souce of the News: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2148448

On 25 July 2025
The Vice Chancellor of Pondicherry University Prof. P. Prakash Babu inaugurated the National Workshop on Advances in Nuclear Energy organized by the Department of Green Energy Technology with IGCAR under UNESCO Chair activity.

The Department of Green Energy Technology (DGET), Pondicherry University, in collaboration with the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam, successfully inaugurated the National Workshop on Advances in Nuclear Energy for Sustainable Environment (NWANESE-2025) under the auspices of the UNESCO Chair activities. The event was held at the Cultural-Cum-Convention Centre, Pondicherry University.

NWANESE-2025 aimed to explore the expanding role of nuclear energy in India’s clean energy transition, particularly in the context of climate change, energy diversification, and the nation’s sustainability objectives.

The inaugural session was presided over by Prof. P. Prakash Babu, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor of Pondicherry University. In his presidential address, Prof. Babu emphasized the crucial importance of nuclear safety, increasing public awareness, and the vital societal applications of nuclear technologies. He commended the efforts of DGET and UNESCO for organizing such a timely and intellectually significant event.

In his felicitation address, Prof. B. M. Jaffar Ali, Dean (i/c), MSGET, underscored the synergies between nuclear, hydroelectric, solar, and wind power sources to ensure India’s energy security and progress toward decarbonization.

The workshop featured a distinguished panel of nuclear scientists and experts from IGCAR, Shri T. Rajkumar, Shri Ram Kumar Maity, Dr. S. Tripurasundari, Shri Sanjay Kumar Das, Head, Dr. C. V. Srinivas, and Dr. S. Chandrasekaran delivered technical talks throughout the day.

The session was further enriched by messages of goodwill from Madam France Marquet, Principal Trustee, MSF, and Dr. Benno Boer of the UNESCO Regional Office, New Delhi.

Prof. R. Arun Prasath, Head and UNESCO Chairholder, delivered the welcome address, highlighting the urgency of climate action and outlining India’s clean energy roadmap. He discussed the Government of India’s Nuclear Energy Mission under “Viksit Bharat 2047,” which aims to scale up nuclear capacity from 8 GW to 100 GW by 2047. Prof. Arun noted that India has made remarkable progress in green energy, now obtaining nearly 35% of its energy from renewable sources—well above the global average. He emphasized the country’s India’s energy transition is guided by a multifaceted commitment to sustainability and climate responsibility. The country faces rapidly growing energy demands while aiming to generate 500 GW of non-carbon-based energy by 2030. As part of its global climate commitments, India has pledged to meet 50% of its total energy requirements from renewable and clean sources, and has submitted Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to reduce carbon emission intensity by 35% by 2030, compared to 2005 levels. Further, India has announced its target of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2070. These goals are deeply aligned with the country’s commitment to advancing the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those related to clean energy (SDG 7), climate action (SDG 13), and sustainable industry and innovation (SDG 9). Prof. Arun also spotlighted the development of Bharat Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and reaffirmed DGET’s commitment to advancing clean energy education and research.

The event brought together more than 300 participants including faculty members, scientists, research scholars, and UG/PG students. The workshop proved to be a robust platform for the convergence of policy, research, and technology—reinforcing the message that nuclear energy is poised to play a pivotal role in India’s journey toward net-zero emissions.

The Department of Green Energy Technology, Pondicherry University, and IGCAR, Kalpakkam, inaugurated the NWANESE-2025 workshop on nuclear energy for a sustainable environment.

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