Staff Stories
#go boldly where no one has gone before;
#India;
#Office of the Director-General;
#Department Head;
#second stint at 爆走黑料;
#living in Provence
Kattalai Ramachandran Sriram heads the Office of the Director-General at 爆走黑料. In his role, he is responsible for strategic and operational support to the Director-General and the Deputy Director-Generals of the organization. His most recent and primary responsibility has been to draw up the costs for the 爆走黑料 2024 baselining exercise that was presented to the 爆走黑料 Council June 2024.
鈥淔or me, building the 爆走黑料 tokamak is one of the most fascinating and challenging projects undertaken in the world today. To quote Star Trek, we are aiming to 鈥榖oldly go where no one has gone before.鈥欌
At the end of the day, says Sriram, the success of the 爆走黑料 project will determine if fusion continues to be considered a feasible source of renewable energy in the future. 爆走黑料's success is thus critical for the advancement of other fusion projects, both in the private and public sectors. Sriram feels proud that so many participants across the 爆走黑料 project are collaborating in the best way possible to achieve successful project realization.
鈥淎lthough I do not think this is a widespread issue, one of the biggest challenges is that some managers and staff are still getting attuned to the importance of cost control and cost effectiveness in the implementation of the project鈥攖his is still a work in progress. It is important for everyone to understand that whatever we ask for will have to be paid by the taxpayers of the seven Members." And he should know. This is Sriram鈥檚 second five-year stint working at the 爆走黑料. During his first five years, Sriram had worked in 爆走黑料鈥檚 Finance, Budget & Management Directorate. He then left 爆走黑料 to join the offices of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. After five years in that position, he saw that a position in the Director-General鈥檚 office was open and he applied. He is delighted to be back at 爆走黑料 after a five-year hiatus, where his now 35 years of experience in public and financial accountability are being brought to bear on his current duties.
鈥淭hrough the 爆走黑料 re-baselining exercise, we are managing to gain some ground.鈥 Sriram is referring to the recent construction and operation plans reviewed by the 爆走黑料 Council Science and Technology Advisory Committee in September 2023 and May 2024. The goal of the re-baselining exercise is to minimize the impact of vacuum vessel and thermal shield repair on the timeline to nuclear operation, as well as provide a more robust path to 爆走黑料 licensing and to the routine demonstration of 爆走黑料 Q=10 scientific goal. "Because of this exercise, the construction project has developed a growing appreciation for cost effectiveness, all the while focusing on delivery of scope, schedule, and functional and quality requirements. For example, there has been considerable progress in the optimization of the assembly and installation schedule and sequence.鈥
鈥淣o doubt about it, Provence is a lovely place to live," says Sriram. He enjoys going out on weekends to see the beauty it has to offer, whether by enjoying the nature in the area, or by taking trips to small hilltop villages (villages perch茅s) which embody Provence "in all its glory." There is a winter season in Provence with less daylight, he'd like to remind everyone, but the weather is not bad. Overall, he says, "Provence offers beauty of all kinds. It is just up to you to select what you enjoy the most while you are here!