BARC

Barc, short for Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, is India's premier nuclear research facility. Located in Trombay, Mumbai, it originated in 1954 as Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay, established by Homi J. Bhabha to advance peaceful nuclear technology. It was renamed Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in 1967.

BARC operates under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and serves as the central laboratory for India's nuclear program. Its mandate includes basic and applied research in nuclear physics and engineering, development of reactor technology, production of radioisotopes for medicine and industry, and advances in radiation safety, waste management, and environmental monitoring. The center hosts a range of divisions and facilities focused on chemistry, radiochemistry, materials science, health physics, and engineering, and it maintains several research reactors and irradiation facilities.

Key facilities historically associated with BARC include the Apsara reactor, the CIRUS reactor, and the Dhruva research reactor, as well as facilities for production of medical isotopes and radiopharmaceuticals. The centre is also involved in thorium-based fuel cycle research, reactor safety studies, and the development of technologies related to national energy security.

BARC collaborates with national institutions and international partners through the IAEA and other programs, supporting regulatory standards, licensing, and environmental stewardship. It has played a central role in India’s civil nuclear program and, historically, in related national security research, while reporting to the Atomic Energy Commission and the DAE for policy and governance.