Bangalore: Condoling the death of Dr Raja Ramanna, the doyen of India's nuclear programme, the Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission Dr Anil Kakodkar said, "It is a great shock for all of us as he was always a father figure to the entire department".

Describing Ramanna as the most practical nuclear scientist who had put India on the world map in the field of nuclear science, former Chairman of Atomic Energy, Dr P K Iyengar said he recognised the importance of fundamental science and its influence on the society.

Ramanna founded the National Centre for advanced studies in Bangalore to nurture and sponsor young talented minds, Iyengar said.

The Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India Dr R Chidambaram, said, "So many of us owe him a lot as he recognised the talents of his colleagues and brought the country to a stature to have a say at the international nuclear forum."

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Meanwhile, the Director of the Centre for Advanced Technology (CAT) and the Physics Group BARC, Dr V S Sahni, said "Ramanna was a man of tall stature and the entire scientific community admired him for the manner in which he had sowed the seed for the growth of physics in Trombay by allowing the attitude of free inquiry".

Karnataka Chief Minister N Dharam Singh today (Sep 24, 2004) expressed grief over the death of renowned nuclear scientist Dr Raja Ramanna and hailed the key role played by him in India's nuclear programme.

Maharashtra Governor Mohammed Fazal also condoled the demise of renowned scientist, Padma Vibushan Dr Raja Ramanna, saying, "Dr Ramanna left an indelible impression of his own in all the great roles that he played, be it as the Director of BARC (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre), development of atomic energy, member of Rajya Sabha or Minister of State for Science and Technology at the Centre."