Dr Ratan Kumar Sinha took over as the new director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) on Wednesday. Dr Srikumar Banerjee, who is also the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) chairman, handed over the charge to Dr. Sinha at a simple function held at Trombay. Several eminent scientists and engineers of department of atomic energy family attended the function. <br/> 59-year-old Sinha, who becomes the 10th director of the country's premier strategic lab, has been closely associated with the design and development of India's first thorium-based Advanced Heavy Water Reactor for the past 15 years. <br/> Talking to newsmen, Dr Sinha said, India has to be relevant but also effective, excellent and efficient in taking up leadership in peaceful uses of atom in the new advantageous situation of international cooperation. He said there are more challenges ahead. He added that the goals set by BARC founder Homi Bhabha will remain the same but milestones and priorities will keep changing as per the time. <br/> Dr Sinha said some of BARC's priorities included ensuring supply of fuel to country's first Prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR) and other non-safeguarded reactors, besides deployment of nuclear power and increase in production and supply of radio isotopes at a competitive price. He said the world class technologies developed by BARC scientists, in spite of technology denial regime, will continue to grow with a sustainable performance<br/>