Cryogenics became a buzz word with common man in India in 1990s when ISRO (Indian Space Organization) was denied the supply of Cryogenic Engine by Russia. It’s history in the country is, however, quite old. Great scientist and a visionary, Sir K.S. Krishnan, the Founder Director, National Physical Laboratory acquired a helium liquefier and established a competent group of physicists to start studies at low temperature down to 1 Kelvin. This culture of low temperature studies soon spread to other reputed institutes like TIFR Bombay, IISc. Bangalore , DAE Centres, IITs and Universities. This community, under the leadership of Prof. Akshay Bose of Jadavpur University, formed Indian Cryogenic Council (ICC) in 1975 with its Head Quarter at Jadavpur University, Kolkata..
During the 1980s use of cryogenics grew rather rapidly in application areas. NMR and MRI were the biggest promoter of the use of liquid helium. Production and use of liquid nitrogen (LN2) and liquid oxygen (LO2) saw phenomenal growth primarily because of large expansion in fertilizer and hospital industry respectively. Research institutions chalked out big projects, such as Accelerators at IUAC, New Delhi and TIFR Bombay, Fusion Reactor (SST-1) at IPR, Gandhinagar and Superconducting Cyclotron at VECC, Kolkata. These projects injected new blood into the cryogenic activities in the country. Production of LHe and LN2 grew leaps and bound. Young scientists and engineers got involved in designing and fabricating complicated cryostats, large superconducting coils and magnets and superconducting cavities and so on. These projects are bearing fruits now.
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