Ajit Kumar Mohanty Receives One-Year Extension as Atomic Chief

Ajit Kumar Mohanty, a renowned physicist, has been granted a one-year extension as Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy. Originally appointed in April 2023, Mohanty will now continue his service until 2026. His career includes leadership roles at BARC and in international collaborations.

Renowned physicist Ajit Kumar Mohanty has been granted a one-year extension as Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy. This decision, sanctioned by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, allows Mohanty to continue in his pivotal role until April 11, 2026.

Initially appointed in April 2023, Mohanty was due to serve until reaching the age of 66 in October 2025. This latest extension builds on a prior six-month extension received last year, highlighting the government's confidence in his leadership. The decision required relaxing certain provisions of Fundamental Rule 56 (d).

Hailing from Odisha, Mohanty has had a storied career, including serving as Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and various leadership roles in physics associations and collaborations. Notably, he has been a Scientific Associate at CERN on two occasions.

(With inputs from agencies.)