When you ponder over the penetration of satellite TV to virtually every home or the early warning sounded by the meteorological authorities of an impending cyclone about to hit the coast, think of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
When expanded, it reads the ISRO, which has revolutionised life in India influencing it every day though most people barely have much idea about it. ISRO scientists, who are mostly associated with orbiting satellites and launching of giant rockets, have even developed a device in their spare time which is being described as a step towards designing of an ‘artificial human heart’.
The ISRO’s achievements have been showcased at a four-day programmde organised at the SOA University here from Sunday as part of the Birth Centenary Celebration of late Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai, who is considered to be the Father of the Indian Space Programme.
The four-day programme, jointly organised by the SOA and the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, ISRO, Sriharikota, is part of the celebrations being held in 100 cities in the country to pay tribute to the visionary scientist while popularising space science among school and college students.
Prof Debaprosad Duari, a distinguished scientist in the domain of astronomy and astrophysics and presently Director of the MP Birla Planetarium, Kolkata, attended the inaugural session as chief guest which was also addressed by A Rajarajan, Director of Satish Dhawan Space Centre, SHAR, ISRO, V Kumbakarnan, Chairman of the Vikram Sarabhai Centenary Celebration Programme (VSCP) and Ajit Kumar Nath, Chairman of the Organising Committee, Bhubaneswar. Prof Amit Banerjee, Vice-Chancellor of SOA, presided over the function.
Students were told about the brilliant scientist who successfully convinced the government about the importance of launching a space programme in the early 1960s following the Sputnik launch by the then USSR.
“I hear from NASA scientists that what India has achieved scientifically in 70 years cannot be matched by any other country,” Prof Duari said.
Prof Duari focused on the need to develop scientific temper in the country saying many people are not happy about Rs 460 crore being spent on the ‘Mangalyaan’ project and questioned its necessity for India on the ground that 27 per cent of the population has no food. But they don’t feel any remorse that much more was being spent every year on the Indian Premier League, he commented.
Prof. Banerjee described Prof. Sarabhai as a scientist whose vision had helped the country reach great heights in space development.