Question

Where was the first nuclear explosion by India carried out?
A) Pushkar
B) Narora
C) Pokhran
D) Mumbai

Answer 1

Hint: This is a theoretical question. It is an important question and it must be remembered from an exam point of view. The first nuclear explosion was carried out in 1974. There is also a Bollywood movie based on this event. The code name given to this operation was Smiling Buddha.

Complete step by step solution:
For nuclear explosion testing we need areas where there is least or NO human settlement. So Mumbai definitely cannot be the correct option. Now Pushkar is basically famous for the Thar Desert, Ghats and Temples.

The test was conducted on May 18, 1974 with the supervision of Raja Ramanna, who was the director of nuclear research institute ‘Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)’. India became the sixth country in the world to conduct a nuclear test.

The bomb was detonated at Pokhran Test Range which was an army base, in Rajasthan. This was done by the Indian Army under the controlled supervision of several key Indian generals.

So the correct answer is POKHRAN.

Additional Information: POKHRAN was chosen for the following reasons: It is located in a desert location wherein the month of May, winds will create sandstorms. The dust haze lasts for days. Due to this it was difficult for the American spy satellites to know about the test. Moreover, infra-red sensors, one of the more potent weapons used in surveillance, have a problem picking out such activity, particularly during the daytime when desert temperatures are as high as 50 degrees.

Note: Since the question asks about nuclear explosion so it’s better to eliminate options with a dense population. Pokhran test was carried out on 18 May 1974. Don’t confuse it with Pokhran 2 which was carried out in 1998.