User:P Chandra Sekharan

The First Human Bomb Author Prof Dr P Chandra Sekharan Released in Delhi,Chennai and New York Book Details

Author: P. Chandra Sekharan (Ed.) Year: 2008 ISBN: 9798183950359 [ Paperback, 22 cm. ] [ Price: RS. 325.00, US$ 7.07 ]

About the Book : The First Human Bomb : The Untold Story of the Rajiv Gandhi Assassination The First Human Bomb: The Untold Story of the Rahjiv Gandhi Assassination', written by Head of the Forensic Investigations of sensational murder of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.The book discusses in details of forensic investigations carried by the author, Prof P Chandra Sekhran, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Jodhpur Law University, Rajasthan, India. As said in the Foreword by Justice A R Lakshmanan, Chairman, Law Commission, Government of India, "The book tempts us to complete the reading in one sitting", it explains in a very simple language the terms and technologies of the scientific forensic investigations conducted to probe the murder of Former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi.This is a unique book in the sense that learned author has produced such a work which is not only a text for the students of forensic sciences, lawyers, investigating agencies and officers but an interesting reading for one and all.The book printed in paperback edition is reasonable priced and carries about 90 illustrations including black & white and colour photographs.The book is written in a story telling format thus making it simple to understand and learn the forensic terminology for all of us. Contents : Contents: Foreword; Preface; Acknowledgments; Prologue; 1 The News; 2 The Theories; 3 The Scene; 4 The Assassin; 5 The Embargo; 6 The Confrontation; 7 The Explosives; 8 The Circuit; 9 The Moment; 10 The Identification; 11 The Investigation; 12 The Trial; 13 The Judgment; Annexures; ibliography.

About the Author

Hailing from Keezhachavadi a small hamlet seven kilometres east of Chidambaram, South India, and born to K.S. Pakkiriswamy Pillai and Meenakshisundaram couple the renowned Saivite Family, Prof P.Chandra Sekharan, as a young student, found his way to Annamalai University where his keen interest in matters scientific brought him to the attention of the professors. He secured B.Sc. (Hons.) in Physics with electronics as special subject and capped it with a M.Sc. in spectroscopy. He was also the most popular student of the university having been elected as the student president, besides during previous years as Secretary of English Association, Physics Society, and Social service League.

He started his career from 1958 for one year stint as Head of the Physics and Chemistry Section of the Tamil Nadu polytechnic and soon after selected by the public service commission joined the medical department. As medical physicist, he was responsible for giving a great boost to medical physics by organizing the first radioisotope laboratory, radiotherapy and radio diagnostic departments and audiology unit in the Erskine Hospital, Madurai. During the above period he also served as Lecturer in Biophysics in the Madras Medical College and his lectures on Nuclear Medicine used to be attended by the Dean and other heads of departments of Medical College.

Later on joining the Forensic Sciences Department, as a Para-medical scientist, Prof. Chandra Sekharan’s contributions to the development of Forensic Science have been of such a uniformly high standards that his standing not only in India but in the international community as well, has brought him to the forefront of world’s Forensic Science experts. Indeed his research and achievements are of such magnitude that he has made an indelible mark on a branch of science that is of vital interest and importance to life and security on this planet.

Prof. Chandra Sekharan has delved deep into the study of Forensic Science. His scholarly publications, his participation in numerous national and international conferences and seminars, his varied accomplishments and distinctions and his illustrious academic background mark him as a man who holds the centre of the stage in his chosen field not only in this country but all over the world. His Lordship Mr. Justice Goh Joon Seng, in one of the cases, he solved in Singapore, observed “My finding there is supported by the evidence of Professor Sekharan, a document examiner, testifying for the third party in the trust suit” (Singapore Law Reports 1996, I SLR AR.V.Valliyammai Achi V Indian Overseas Bank P.453), a rare tribute indeed.

He is a Chartered Physicist and a Fellow of the Institute of Physics, London, which is equivalent to D.Sc. degree of the Oxford University. He has also secured his PhD Degree in Forensic Science in the Medical Faculty of the University of Madras. His field of research is varied. Among his specialized achievements and distinctions in research, special mention must be made of his Revised Superimposition Techniques a valuable tool in crime investigation. He has propounded of the skull suture theory and identification techniques via skull suture pattern; He has constructed the Electronic Skull Identification Device (ESID) for the first time in India. He is also the propounder of Scientific Method for Indexing Antique Bronzes and Jewelry. He has also formulated a Classification System for Identification of Fraudulent Cheques written for Indian Currency. His thesis on ‘Studies of Certain Forensic Aspects of Skull Identification and Individualisation’ was published as a book by the University of Madras and UGC. In recognition of his research work fellowships were conferred on him by the Forensic Science Society of India, Indian Academy of Forensic Sciences and the Indian Society of Criminology. His flair for research made him unique to become approved research guide simultaneously in four Universities.

As an organizer, Dr. Chandra Sekharan had organized three international conferences and five national conferences and workshops. In recognition of his organizing capacity, he was unanimously elected as Chairman of the World Congress of the Indo-Pacific Association of Law, Medicine and Science which he conducted with great success in 1989.

In 1993, after superannuation, he was invited by the Anna University, Chennai to be UGC Professor and he inducted Forensic Engineering Course, a first of its kind in India. In 1994, he was awarded UGC Emeritus Fellowship in the University of Madras. In 1996 he was invited by the National Law School of India University to be its first Professor of Forensic Sciences. In 1995 he was the invitee to deliver the prestigious Bhatia Memorial Oration in Forensic Medicine at St. John’s Medical College, Bangalore. In 1996 he was awarded the Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Examiners. In 1998 he was invited to deliver the 1998 Oration of the Sri Lankan Medico-Legal Society and to receive the Gold Medal.

His thirst for knowledge would not be satiated until he did his B.G.L. in General Law and then B.L. with interpretation of statutes as special subject. He has a flair for languages. Besides proficiency in Tamil and Hindi, Dr. Chandra Sekharan has diploma in French and German. His interest in Public administration is amply demonstrated by his earlier training undergone in the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore and his present association with the Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi as its elected Member of the Executive Council, Standing Committee and Academic Council for the past ten years.

Though a true academician in the sense that he is interested in and has shown efficiency in several subjects, Dr. Chandra Sekharan chose Forensic Science as his career and field of research. His brilliance in this branch of Modern Science took him to the top of his profession as Forensic Expert. Formerly as Director of the Forensic Sciences Department, Tamil Nadu Dr. Chandra Sekharan had rendered highly scientific and valuable advice and assistance to the Police Department in the solution of many crimes and conspiracies. He has made available his valuable opinion in several thousand cases including the Idol Theft Case tried in the Royal High Court United Kingdom, Forgery cases in Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Singapore. In 1991, he shot into fame as Principal Scientific Investigator in the Rajiv Gandhi Assassination case. He has also appeared as prosecution witness for Singapore police in the first ever forgery case of facsimile transmission. He has also appeared as a prosecution witness in a signature forgery case at Colombo High Court

His achievements in the sphere of public service are too numerous to mention. He has delivered useful and popular lectures not only on Forensic Science but also on drug abuse to officers, trainees and students of the Customs Department, Nationalized Banks, Vigilance Staff, Indian Railways, Colleges and Universities. Not all scientists are good teachers but Professor Chandra Sekharan, as is popularly known as a genius for teaching. He has 44 years of teaching experience, teaching physics and chemistry to students of Engineering, of M.B.B.S., M.D., C.R.A., and .D.R.A. courses, teaching Forensic Science to students of M. Sc. Forensic Science and M. Sc. Environmental Technology and Police Officers undergoing training in Police Training Colleges in Madras, Hyderabad and lAS trainees in Missouri, students of National Law School of India University, Bangalore. His academic acumen and administrative ability made him later the first Professor-Director of the School of Sciences and Forensic Sciences as well as the Pro Vice-Chancellor of  National Law University, Jodhpur.

Dr. Chandra Sekharan has focused the world’s attention on the excellence of the work done in the Department of Forensic Science, Madras. He was solely instrumental in converting this department into a teaching and research institution. He is the Founder-President of the Forensic Science Society of India, member of forensic Science society of U.K. and of the International Association of Forensic Science, Bureau of Police and Research and Development, Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi and the Principal Investigator, Scientific Commission for continuing Studies on Effects of Bhopal gas leakage on life systems. In his capacity as Editor-in-chief of the Indian Journal of Forensic Science, Dr. Chandra Sekharan encourages as well gives publicity to the highly skilled achievements of Forensic Science in India and abroad.

Though a scientist by profession, Dr Chandra Sekharan has not lost touch with the main stream of the common man in India. He is intensely human and is ever ready to help the poor and needy, the downtrodden and the underprivileged. His creation of a disputed paternity centre to offer free services to the abandoned women folk is highly commendable. He was twice elected as President of Madras YMCA. His services as elected Club Presidents of Royapettah and Mylapore and District Governor of Y’s Men International movement, Madras District and President of Resident Welfare association and President of the Association of Principals of Madras University colleges and educational institutions are all numerous examples of his statesmanship.

Dr. Chandra Sekharan has been invited to several countries either to give lecturers, participate in scientific meets or to tender advice. In his professional capacity, he has visited London, Oxford, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Paris, Singapore, Katmandu, Kuala Lumpur, Adelaide, Brisbane, Kiel, Wiesbaden, Frankfurt, Rome, Vienna, Geneva, Beijing, Tokyo, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Manila, Colombo, Mexico City, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Hamilton (Ontario) and Toronto thereby improving that his country is second to none in the field of science and technology. He has published more than 200 research and review papers and made contributions fully or partly in 11 books. References to his research and writings are made frequently in text books on Forensic Medicine and Forensic Science. His latest book “The First Human Bomb” was released in Delhi, Chennai and New York

Among the many qualities of statesmanship that have accrued to the credit of Dr. Chandra Sekharan, one that deserved special mention is his accomplishment in the media in communicating with the public. Through his articles in magazines and newspapers, through radio talk and especially through T.V. telecasts and through press interviews, he has aroused the interest of the public not only in forensic Science which is acquiring an increasing degree of practical relevance in the world, ranging from crime to drug addiction to bank frauds but also in many areas, be they cricket match fixing or railway accident or video tape evidence.

Dr. Chandra Sekharan is a brilliant scientist with a vision, a scholar, a thinker and a true statesman. He is a rare combination of a dreamer and doer and hence many awards were conferred on this distinguished statesman-scientist in recognition of the enduring quality of his scientific work and social service. Some of them are the prestigious J. L. Eustace Memorial Award for 1987 conferred by the Adelaide University, South Australia, Scroll of Honour for outstanding contribution made in the field of toxicology presented by the Governor of Tamil Nadu, Outstanding Appreciation Award for Service to Humanity by Y’s Men International South India Region and Distinguished Leadership Award for outstanding professional performance by the American Biographical Institute Inc., USA. No wonder, Indian Express (1993) and ‘India West” from California (1994) had described him as an International Celebrity in Forensic Sciences.

The dawn of the new millennium saw  Dr. Chandra Sekharan receiving the “Life Time Achievement Award” during the Indian Science Congress 2000 held at Pune in January, 2000 and to crown it all receiving the Padma Bhushan, the second highest Civilian Award from the President of India for his distinguished service of a high order in the field of Science and Engineering - Forensic Science. Thus far he is the only Padma Bhushan as well as UGC Emeritus Fellow in Forensic Sciences. Recently, Prof Chandra Sekharan was conferred ‘The Fellow’ of the American College of Forensic Examiners Institute (2008), the highest honour and status, the ACFEI can bestow upon a member.

Review by "The Forensic Examiner USA Book Reviews The First Human Bomb: The Untold Story of the Rajiv Gandhi Assassination By P. Chandra Sekharan, PhD, FACFEI, DABFE

"No observation is puerile or petty in forensic situations."

On May 21, 1991, a blast from a human bomb, or suicide bomber, killed Rajiv Gandhi at an election rally. This would be the first of its kind. As the principal scientific investigator, respected forensic scientist P. Chandra Sekharan has compiled a compelling story of the investigation into the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi.

The 2008 book furnishes details of sophistication and expertise that went into the first human bomb and brings out the gamut of techniques and skills that went into the forensic analysis and crime scene reconstruction. While Sekharan narrates his findings during the first few frenetic days as a dayby- day account, related scientific information is also interwoven.

A section of the book focuses on the forensic techniques used in identifying the assassin and associates from their skulls, head models, and photographic evidence. Particular attention is paid to the definitions and characteristics of explosives that play a key role in terrorists' activities. The book includes almost all the text, photographs, and illustrations that formed part of the original 176-page report Sekharan prepared for the case.

The First Human Bomb reads like a piece of historical fiction, although in this case, the story is very much true. Dr. Sekharan has created a book that offers itself as an interesting read for the general book lover, as well as providing an additional source of information for the forensic community.

P. Chandra Sekharan, PhD, FACFEI, DABFE, has 45 years of experience in consultacy, teaching, research and training in the field of forensic science. He has delivered lectures, key note addresses, and presented papers in several national and international seminars, conferences, and workshops. He is a Life Fellow of the American College of Forensic Examiners and has been a member since 1997.

Courtesy of Dr. Robert O'Block, Founder and Publisher