Journey to Peace: Reflections on Hiroshima, Oppenheimer, and the Call for a Nuclear-Weapons-Free World

Visiting the Peace Memorial in Hiroshima, Japan on July 3rd this year had a profound impact on me. The museum portrayed the horrific consequences of the atom bomb and its lasting effects on the Japanese people. Remarkably, there was no blame directed at the USA; rather, the focus was on understanding the tragic consequences of war.


The atom bomb's devastating impact was truly monstrous, making it unthinkable to pursue such weapons beyond the events of August 6, 1945. However, the Cold War paranoia drove nations to develop even deadlier thermonuclear bombs, thousands of times more potent than the atomic bomb. This led to an alarming proliferation of WMDs, with many countries following suit.


Recently, I watched Christopher Nolan's film "Oppenheimer," which brilliantly portrays the moral dilemmas faced by J. Robert Oppenheimer post-1945. The movie delves into his transformation from a physics student to leading the Manhattan Project for creating the first atom bomb. Oppenheimer's opposition to developing thermonuclear bombs (H-bombs) and his proposal for a global committee to halt nuclear weapon development also led to investigations.


I recall feeling a sense of pride when India officially became a nuclear power in May 1998. The thought process then was, if Western powers have nuclear bombs, why not us? Still, after my visit to Hiroshima and reflecting on Oppenheimer's dilemma, I now wholeheartedly support the UN's Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons passed in 2016. I hope all nations embrace the treaty, paving the way for a nuclear-weapons-free world.

The Doomsday Clock, set by atomic scientists in 1947, now stands at 90 seconds to midnight in 2023. This serves as a poignant reminder of the urgency to act. I earnestly hope these 90 seconds will stretch infinitely, allowing humanity to thrive in an era free from the threat of nuclear weapons." 

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