Chennai, Jan 6 (.) A change of guard has happened in India’s atomic energy regulator’s office with AK Balasubrahmanian taking over as the Chairman.
According to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) Balasubrahmanian took over as its Chairman on Jan 1, 2026 from the outgoing Chairman, Dr. D.K.Shukla.
Before joining AERB, Balasubrahmanian served as Chairman, Project Design Safety Committee for Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) based Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs), and as Member, Safety Review Committee for Operating Plants of AERB.
A Distinguished Scientist, Balasubrahmanian is a mechanical engineer, with training in nuclear engineering and is a Fellow of Indian National Academy of Engineering (FNAE).
He has nearly 40 years of experience in design, development, safety assessment, construction and commissioning of NPPs, with extensive experience in the development of ageing management strategies related to the PHWRs.
With his contributions in the design and development of a number of first of a kind (FOAK) systems with innovative design and safety features and indigenisation efforts for PHWR technology, he is considered as all-round expert in reactor technology.
Apart from PHWRs, he is also well versed in different reactor
technologies. He had served as Director (Technical) in the Board of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited.
He had participated in many international conferences and discussions on nuclear reactor technology and safety, AERB said.
The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board was constituted on November 15, 1983, by the President of India by exercising the powers conferred by the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 to carry out certain regulatory and safety functions under the Act.
The Mission of the AERB is to ensure the use of ionizing radiation and nuclear energy in India does not cause undue risk to the health of people and the environment. . VJ SAS PRP