Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT) celebrated its 35th Foundation Day on Monday, 19^th February 2018. Dr. A. K. Bhaduri, Director, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research ( IGCAR) , Kalpakkam, Tamilnadu, was the Chief Guest of the function. Dr. P. A. Naik, Director, RRCAT, presided over the function. Shri S.C. Joshi, Director, Proton Accelerator Group, delivered the welcome address and introduced the chief guest to the audience.

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Dr. Naik presented an overview of the scientific activities of the centre and highlighted the important achievements accomplished during the past one year. He informed that the indigenously developed Indus National Facility is extensively used by researchers from about 140 institutes all over the country and 765 user experiments were conducted in 2017. He also informed about the progress of the indigenously developed infra-red free electron laser for materials science studies and 10MeV industrial electron linac for irradiation of agricultural and pharmaceutical products. A 5-cell niobium superconducting radio frequency cavity has been for the first time fabricated, processed and tested in RRCAT and achieved the design field gradient of 18 MV/m.

Dr. Naik also elaborated how Laser and instrumentation systems developed at RRCAT have provided support in the nuclear power programme of DAE. He described low-cost compact laser based diagnostic instruments like Tuberculoscope and OncoDiagnoScope have been developed for screening large population for TB, and Oral Cancer.

Dr. A.K. Bhaduri, delivered an erudite talk on the development of important materials and fabrication techniques for the fast breeder reactor program, which is an essential step for long term security and sustainability of the 3-stage nuclear programme of India. He described current status of fast breeder reactors at IGCAR Kalpakkam. The talk enthralled the 700 strong audiences of scientists, engineers and distinguished guests from universities and other institutes. The program concluded with vote of thanks delivered by Dr. S.B. Roy, Director, Materials Science Group. The function was conducted by Shri S. V. Nakhe, Director, Laser Group.