The histories of BARC and Apsara are intertwined. On January 20, 1957, Nehru inaugurated the Atomic Energy Establishment (which was later named after Bhabha) and named the research reactor Apsara. Nehru explained why the name “Apsara” was appropriate for the reactor. He said, “The name we suggest for it is Apsara which, you know, means a celestial damsel or a water nymph. This is a swimming-pool reactor and Apsara is specially connected with water. Therefore, it is appropriate. So I am sure with your approval, I name this swimming-pool reactor Apsara.”

Connect should be Apsara – India\’s 1st atomic reactor..named by Nehru. The Blue is from the Cerenkov Radiation (test bed of a reactor)- Nehru apparently was impressed with the blue & for some strange reason thought it looked like the Apsaras!

Apsara, India’s first atomic reactor:
Nehru had likened the blue Cerenkov-radiation of the reactor core to the beauty of the apsaras. Thus the name

1. obv
2. Čerenkov radiation
3. Apsara from Angkor Wat style

Čerenkov radiation, named after Pavel Alekseyevich Cerenkov, is electromagnatic radiation emitted when a charged particle passes through an insulator at a speed greater than the speed of light in that medium. The characteristic “blue glow” of nuclear reactors is due to Čerenkov radiation. Apsara is the Hindu mythological characters with which Nehru compared these radiations when he first saw them at a nuclear reactor at the BARC.
And thats the reason the country’s first reactor was named Apsara.

ps: 1. 2nd image was already given in prev bb question Faster Than Light. and,
2. i found the same question here:
http://inquizition.wordpress.com/

the apsara nuclear reactor?

India’s first nuclear reactor, ‘ Apsara’ was christened by Jawaharlal Nehru (Pic 1) and was dedicated to the nation on January 20, 1957. Scientists present, recollect that Nehru had likened the blue Cerenkov (Pic 2)-radiation of the reactor core to the beauty of the Apsaras (Pic 3) — the dancers in the court of Lord Indra.