John Pucadyil

About Prof. John Pucadyil

Prof. John Pucadyil is a distinguished plasma physicist, institution builder, and Padma Shri awardee whose career spans over five decades in experimental physics and thermonuclear fusion. Hailing from Kottayam, Kerala, he earned his Ph.D. from Aligarh Muslim University in 1969 after initiating groundbreaking plasma experiments with self-assembled equipment.

A key figure in shaping India’s fusion research, Prof. Pucadyil helped set up the Institute for Plasma Research (IPR) and led the assembly and commissioning of ADITYA, India’s first indigenous tokamak reactor. He pioneered industrial plasma applications by establishing the Facilitation Centre for Industrial Plasma Technologies (FCIPT) and served as Head of the Physics Division at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Crucially, he led technical negotiations securing India’s partnership in the global ITER fusion project.

Beyond the laboratory, he has mentored generations of scientists through the National Fusion Programme. He is the author of Plasma Sciences and the Creation of Wealth, Plasma Processes for Energy and Environment, and the memoir Experiments with Plasmas.

An oil painter, poet, and Professor of Practice at Mahatma Gandhi University, he resides in Kottayam with his wife, Minnu. His books translate complex plasma dynamics, technological innovation, and scientific history for readers worldwide.