Untold stories of Pokhran-II on its May 11 anniversary: Why Abdul Kalam loved Khetolai and Pokhran

“I love Khetolai… I love Pokhran because the moonlit nights over the sand dunes are beautiful. I want to spend some moments alone under the full moon. Pokhran is a better platform for creativity and freedom.”
These words reflected the deep emotional connection that renowned scientist and former President of India A. P. J. Abdul Kalam shared with Pokhran and Khetolai.

Kalam played a historic role in establishing India as a nuclear power, and both of India’s major nuclear test series were conducted on the soil of Pokhran. His affection for the desert region was the result of nearly 24 years of association with India’s nuclear mission.

When India successfully conducted the Pokhran-II Nuclear Tests on May 11 and 13, 1998, the world was stunned. After the tests, Kalam reportedly conveyed the coded message “Buddha Smiles Again” to then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee through a hotline call.
The announcement shocked the international community because, unlike in 1995 when American spy satellites had detected India’s preparations, this time the operation remained completely secret.

The five nuclear explosions conducted near Khetolai village under the leadership of Dr.Abdul Kalam, along with scientists R. Chidambaram and Anil Kakodkar, marked a defining moment in India’s history. The successful execution of the tests placed India among the world’s nuclear powers and filled the nation with pride.

The operation, code-named “Operation Shakti,” was carried out with extraordinary secrecy. The Indian Army’s Bengal Engineer Regiment also played a vital role under the leadership of Colonel Momgen, providing extensive support to the scientists.

Preparations for the nuclear tests had been underway for years, but the final phase in May 1998 was executed with unmatched precision.

The code names used during the operation — Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and others — were known only to a select few led by Kalam.

The nuclear devices were secretly transported from Mumbai to Pokhran disguised as apple crates aboard an Indian Air Force AN-32 cargo aircraft. The journey began from Santacruz Airport in Mumbai in the early hours of May 1. The convoy carrying the “apple crates” was led by “Major General Natraj” — the codename for R. Chidambaram — and “Mamaji,” the codename for Anil Kakodkar.

Once the convoy reached the “Deer Park” control room near Khetolai, command was taken over by “Major General Prithviraj,” the codename used by Abdul Kalam. The wooden boxes contained not apples, but nuclear bombs built at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.

To avoid detection by American surveillance satellites, Kalam and the scientists dressed in Army uniforms throughout the mission and frequently traveled in military vehicles. Local residents often saw them near the Pokhran bus stand without realizing their true identities until after the successful tests.

Kalam supervised the digging of five deep shafts in the scorching desert heat. Each shaft had a unique codename. The 200-metre-deep shaft used for the hydrogen bomb test was called “White House,” while the shaft for the fission bomb was named “Taj Mahal.” Another shaft used for a sub-kiloton device was named “Kumbhkaran.” Two additional shafts, NT-1 and NT-2, were reserved for the tests conducted on May 13.

India had originally planned nuclear tests in 1995, but American spy satellites detected the preparations, forcing the plan to be postponed under international pressure. After the first Vajpayee government came to power in 1996, political approval for the tests was given, but the biggest challenge remained avoiding satellite detection.

When the Vajpayee government returned to power in 1998, Abdul Kalam, then chief of Defence Research and Development Organisation, and Atomic Energy Commission chairman R. Chidambaram received the final approval to proceed. Kalam’s meticulous planning ensured the mission remained hidden until the explosions took place.

Following the successful tests, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited Pokhran to congratulate scientists, soldiers and the nation. Accompanied by Defence Minister George Fernandes, Communications Minister Pramod Mahajan and MP Sona Ram Choudhary, Vajpayee travelled through the heavily secured gates to reach the test site near Khetolai.

Standing in the scorching 47-degree desert heat, Vajpayee praised the Army officers and soldiers for their courage and dedication. He described Pokhran as a “land of pride” and said the successful tests had transformed it into a symbol of national strength.

During his speech, Vajpayee revealed that former Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao had informed him in 1996 that “the bomb was ready.” Vajpayee famously remarked, “I only carried out the explosion.”

He also credited R. Chidambaram, Abdul Kalam and the scientific community for the success of the mission that changed India’s strategic standing forever.

Even today, the people of Pokhran and Khetolai proudly remember those historic moments when the desert sands witnessed events that altered the balance of power in the world.