India’s top nuclear scientist and coordinator of the Pokhran-II tests, K Santhanam, described former President APJ Abdul Kalam an overrated scientist, saying he had no contribution in nuclear testing or in making of the device.

While detonation of nuclear device in May 1998 was a team effort involving scientists from different setups, certain individuals and organisations have since then claimed sole credit to further their interests and careers, he said.

Santhanam particularly named Dr Kalam and the Baba Atomic Research Centre (BARC) having successfully projected themselves as sole minds behind India’s major technological accomplishment. “Pity that some people used this for their own publicity. APJ Abdul Kalam had mastered over it. He never published any single paper in his life. What did he [Kalam] know about extracting, making explosive grade? He didn’t know a thing,” he said.

Santhanam claimed that his (Kalam) religion helped him grow and climb the ladder to even becoming a President.

“He relied on atomic energy to gain additional stature,” said the scientist. He further said that leave alone nuclear science, Kalam didn’t know anything about physics. Besides the BARC, which provided the core platform that is bomb, the scientist said, other organisations equally played crucial part.

The Chandigarh-based Terminal Ballistic Research Laboratory (TBL) provided trigger, the preparatory and measuring the yield was done by the DRDO and the Pune-based Armament Research and Development Establishment, he said.

‘BARC TOOK CREDIT’