Space, Dreams and Beyond

Note: Post slightly outdated, I wrote it last week but could not find time to post it.

When it comes to protecting our protector, GOD, India has always been a step ahead. And as long as RSS and VHP are around, Lord Sree Rama has nothing to fear. Didn’t they prove it once on December 6th 1992?

Last year around this time, Indian politicians were awfully conscious about 100th Anniversary of Vande Mataram. This year, their memory seems to be little rusty on 101th Anniversary. However, they have a bigger history to protect this year. Rama Sethu (Adams Bridge) of Ramayana which Rama used to crossover to Sri Lanka!

(more…)

 More than a year after I mourned for ISRO’s splash down, today we finally have a lift-off  of the same launch vehicle carrying identical satellite!

GSLV-F04 successfully placed INSAT-4CR in Orbit. In my opinion, It is a defining moment for Indian space program, firstly because it is first of INSAT series to be launched from Indian Soil (Earlier INSAT vehicles were piggybacked to Arena rocket launched from Kourou, French Guiana), and secondly it puts in confidence in our mission to moon and manned space flight. And of course, dozen of high-power Ku-band transponders onboard will make your network television look even better..!!

Go ISRO!

(Picture taken from ISRO website without permission).

I missed the parade and bad chapatis at Meerut, but I

commemorate 150th anniversary of start of Indian Revolution:
by
1) Looking in awe this portrait of Mangal Pandey

2) Successfully reading this rare and historic document which is court order for Mangal Pandey’s execution

3) Borrowing “The great Indian Mutiny” by Richard Collier from my library.

4) Feeling sorry for the lost heritage

5) Buying Reebok shoes from Kohls.

There are some who question the relevance of space activities in a developing nation. To us, there is no ambiguity of purpose. We do not have the fantasy of competing with the economically advanced nations in the exploration of the moon or the planets or manned space-flight. But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second to none in the application of advanced technologies to the real problems of man and society.

As a kid, I was never too excited about this vision, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai has laid for space future of India.

TODAY, for the first time (as far as I can tell) ISRO has (arguably) contradicted this idea and has officially spoken positively about FIRST INDIAN MANNED MISSION TO SPACE.
Though they did not speak much, I am excited!! Indian going up there from Indian Soil…!!
(Remember only Indian so far who has been to space is Sqdrn Leader. Rakesh Sharma in 1984. But he piggybacked himself on a Russian (Then Soviet Union) spacecraft).

(more…)

Some politicians have tough time separating religion from state. Be it American Republican candidate for U.S. Senate who thinks appointing non-Christians is equivalent to ’sin’ or be it Indian BJP leaders who wants to make singing Vandemataram mandatory in schools and parliament on the songs 100th anniversary on Sept 7th.

On the face of it, one might not find anything religious about Vande Mataram. So just to remind you, the only reason, in spite of being a revolutionary slogan during independence, Vande Mataram did not qualify as national anthem, was because it literally translates as ‘I bow head in front of you, Mother’. ‘Mother’ could be thought as Mother-India (not the movie!) but some believe it was actually meant to be Hindu Goddess. Indeed, she looks like one in this image which was posted on net as ‘Bharat Ma’. ! In any case, Islam allows that kind of respect only to Allah (May peace be upon Him) and secular India had to respect that choice. (Note that definition of secularism is quite different in India than what it is in America and LOT different than what it is in European countries like France).

Well surely every Muslim does not take Quran so seriously. I would not if I were a Muslim. Neither did A R Rahman, and surely not Mukhtar Abbas Nakvi, BJP Spokesperson, who is very vocal in supporting his Party’s stand.

But that’s not the point. Point is for good or bad, whether you agree or not, Vande Mataram is not our National Anthem and we have to live with it! Its really ironical that both National song and National Anthem of India have always been in controversy and more ironical is that most (or all) the reasons fueling the controversy were just dumb. Reason Vande Mataram is in controversy now is exactly the same it was 60 years back.Nothing has changed now. So why you just do not accept it and move on? Singing a song is not going to solve our problems, would it? Unless, your problem was there has been no political-religious controversy stalling the government for a while. Don’t we have a Nation to run? Oh right, I forget, these politicians don’t.

Yes, Vande Mataram is our ‘ National Song’ but still that does not warrant the idea of forcing everyone to sing it. What’s next? Making it compulsory for everyone to play India’s national Game’ hockey on Dhyan Chands 103rd Birthday?