Scientist Aparajita Mukherjee
It is with profound sadness that we have learned of the passing of Aparajita Mukherjee, following an illness.
The ITER community mourns the loss of an exceptional person who played a vital role in the development of the ion cyclotron radio frequency heating system for ITER and made a long-lasting contribution to the radiofrequency community.
Aparajita Mukherjee joined the Institute for Plasma Research, Gandhinagar, in 1991 as a research scholar after obtaining her master’s degree in physics from Jadavpur University. Her initial research focused on plasma production using radiofrequency (RF) waves.
In 1995, following the launch of India’s Steady State Superconducting Tokamak (SST-1) program at the Institute for Plasma Research, she devoted her time to the development of the device’s ion cyclotron radiofrequency heating (ICRH) system. She was primarily involved in physics and RF technology developmental activities for SST-1’s 20–92 MHz, 1.5 MW continuous wave ICRH system, and also contributed to the design and commissioning of the 200 kW ICRH system for the ADITYA tokamak.
In 2006, after India joined the ITER project as a member, she took on the responsibility of fulfilling India’s in-kind commitments in delivering ICRH-related systems and served in this role through 2021. During these formative and demanding years, she provided strong technical direction and managed the development of the ICRH system with dedication, determination, and foresight. In 2021, she joined the ITER Organization in France as the ICRH project leader, where she continued to contribute her extensive knowledge and experience to ITER until her retirement in October 2024.
Throughout her career, Aparajita placed great emphasis on deep study and the development of in-depth technical knowledge. She encouraged her colleagues not merely to complete assigned tasks, but to understand the underlying science and engineering thoroughly. She strongly believed in building indigenous capabilities and, under her guidance, several important radio-frequency components were developed by the RF Group at ITER-India that demonstrated functionality successfully. These achievements stand as a testament to her vision, technical leadership, and confidence building within the technical team.
Not just a project manager and technical leader, Aparajita was also an outstanding mentor who generously shared her knowledge and experience with others. Her support to the technical community was not limited to professional matters only but it was always exceptional and beyond. Her ability to combine technical excellence with humbleness and humanity attracted the deep respect and affection of colleagues at ITER-India, the ITER Organization, and across the wider scientific and engineering community.
Aparajita’s absence leaves a profound void, but her values, teachings, and contributions will continue to guide and inspire us. She will be deeply missed, but she will always remain in our hearts and memories.