Jawaharlal Nehru once offered Indian citizenship to Oppenheimer: Here's why
What's the story
Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer has marvelously brought the life of American physicist J Robert Oppenheimer into the spotlight. The film has also shed light on Oppenheimer's ties with India. An intriguing aspect that is now being highlighted is that when Oppenheimer was shunned from his own country after he opposed the development of advanced weapons, India's then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru reportedly offered him Indian citizenship.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Oppenheimer was left profoundly shaken after the atomic bomb he helped create was used in Japan's Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, causing unimaginable destruction. The deep moral turmoil led the physicist to oppose and criticize the development of more advanced weapons, like hydrogen bombs, publicly. This led to the infamous Oppenheimer security hearings in 1954, which were initiated by naval officer Lewis Strauss.
Report
When Homi J Bhabha, Oppenheimer became close friends: Report
Author Bakhtiyar K Dadabhoy made the intriguing revelation about the offer extended by Nehru to Oppenheimer in his book, Homi J Bhabha: A Life, as per reports. The book also shed light on the friendship between Oppenheimer and Bhabha. It said, "Bhabha met Oppenheimer after the war had ended, and the two became friends. This was hardly surprising since both were highly-cultured men."
Circumstances
Why Oppenheimer declined Nehru's offer of citizenship
According to Dadabhoy's extensive 723-page work, when Oppenheimer faced a tumultuous time after he lost his security clearance in 1954, Nehru—presumably on Bhabha's intervention—extended multiple invitations to the physicist to visit India and even immigrate if he desired. However, Oppenheimer reportedly declined the offer, stating that he wouldn't leave his country until he was cleared of all charges leveled against him by the authorities.
Statement
'I don't think Oppenheimer considered the offer seriously…'
In an interview with Hindustan Times, Kai Bird, co-author of American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J Robert Oppenheimer—the book on which Oppenheimer is based—expressed he didn't believe Oppenheimer "seriously considered the offer from Nehru, as he was a patriotic American." Bird also mentioned how abruptly, nine years after being celebrated as America's greatest scientist, Oppenheimer was stripped of his security clearance.
Controversy
Why 'Oppenheimer' faced backlash over Bhagavad Gita
When the author was asked about Oppenheimer's fascination with Bhagavad Gita, Bird said, "I think what drew him was the philosophical notions in the Gita that were sort of parallel to quantum about the nature of the world." Notably, a scene from the biographical drama sparked controversy for showcasing the lead actor Cillian Murphy reciting a verse from the holy book while having sex.