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Movers The future satellite launch vehicle (SLV) had also been conceived by this time. Recognising the immense socioeconomic benefits of space technology, Prof. Sarabhai decided in 1969, to go full-steam ahead with the task of establishing indigenous capability in building and launching our own satellites. He personally participated in an aerial survey of the east coast for a possible site for launching satellite launch vehicles and large rockets. Prof. Sarabhai was concentrating on the east coast in order to let the launch vehicle take full advantage of the earth’s west to east rotation. He finally selected the Sriharikota island, 100 km north of Madras (now Chennai), and thus the SHAR Rocket Launch Station was born. The crescent-shaped island has a maximum width of 8 km and lies alongside the coastline. The island is as big as Madras city. The Buckingham Canal and the Pulicat lake form its western boundary. In 1968, we had formed the Indian Rocket Society. Soon after, the INCOSPAR was reconstituted as an advisory body under the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) was created under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) to conduct space research in the country. By this time, Prof. Sarabhai had already hand-picked a team to give form to his dream of an Indian SLV. I consider myself fortunate to have been chosen to be a project leader. Prof. Sarabhai gave me the additional responsibility of designing the fourth stage of the SLV. Dr VR Gowarikar, MR Kurup and AE Muthunayagam were given the tasks of designing the other three stages. What made Prof. Sarabhai pick a few of us for this great mission? One reason seemed to be our professional background. Dr Gowarikar was doing outstanding work in the field of composite propellants. MR Kurup had established an excellent laboratory for propellants, propulsion and pyrotechnics. Muthunayagam had proved himself in the field of high energy propellants. The fourth stage was to be a composite structure and called for a large number of innovations in fabrication technology; perhaps that was why I was brought in. I laid the foundation for Stage IV on two rocks—sensible approximation and unawed support. I have always considered the price of perfection prohibitive and allowed mistakes as a part of the learning process. I prefer a dash of daring and persistence to perfection. I have always supported learning on the part of my team members by paying vigilant attention to each of their attempts, be they successful or unsuccessful. In my group, progress was recognized and reinforced at every tiny step. Although I provided access to all the information that my co-workers in Stage IV needed, I found I could not spend enough time to be a useful facilitator and a source of support. I wondered if there was something wrong with the way in which I managed my time. At this stage, Prof. Sarabhai brought a French visitor to our work centre to point out the problem to me. This gentleman was Prof. Curien, President of CNES (Centre Nationale de Etudes Spatiales), our counterpart in France. They were then developing the Diamont launch vehicles. Prof. Curien was a thorough professional. Together, Prof. Sarabhai and Prof. Curien helped me set a target. While they discussed the means by which I could reach it, they also cautioned me about the possibilities of failure. While I arrived at a better
Page 4 and 5: WINGS OF FIRE As chief of the count
Page 6 and 7: provides only a thumbnail sketch of
Page 8 and 9: tributes to these fine persons, I a
Page 10 and 11: 1 I was born into a middle-class Ta
Page 12 and 13: partnership with Him. He would pres
Page 14 and 15: his best to break social barriers s
Page 16 and 17: 2 O nce I settled down at the Schwa
Page 18 and 19: seeks acceptance under the guise of
Page 20 and 21: Plate 2 The locality in which I gre
Page 22 and 23: Plate 6 A family get-together. Plat
Page 24 and 25: technologies and expected his stude
Page 26 and 27: (HAL) at Bangalore as a trainee. Th
Page 28 and 29: sorrow. He offered no explanation o
Page 30 and 31: time to review the progress of our
Page 32 and 33: interviewers usually display when t
Page 34 and 35: II
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Page 38 and 39: procrastination. Actually, problems
Page 40 and 41: out target-tracking functions. The
Page 42 and 43: Dreamers D uring his frequent visit
Page 44 and 45: woven into a matrix that encloses i
Page 46 and 47: unfolded his plan of developing a r
Page 48 and 49: unforeseen costs. “You name the t
Page 52 and 53: awareness of Stage IV problems thro
Page 54 and 55: Electrical and mechanical integrati
Page 56 and 57: Dr Brahm Prakash advised me to take
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Page 60 and 61: Through mechanical engineering, the
Page 62 and 63: in the areas of aerodynamics, struc
Page 64 and 65: help determine the forces that dete
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Page 68 and 69: temple, shining sand and dancing ti
Page 70 and 71: own destinies. Was I too stubborn o
Page 72 and 73: Total commitment is a crucial quali
Page 74 and 75: spellbound to see our hopes flying
Page 76 and 77: Builders Dr Brahm Prakash helped me
Page 78 and 79: discussing some finer aspects of th
Page 80 and 81: envisaged, though as a distant drea
Page 82 and 83: Padma Bhushan award on me. The next
Page 84 and 85: PROPITIATION [ 1981 - 1991 ] Let cr
Page 86 and 87: Seekers A minor tussle over my serv
Page 88 and 89: air. Once we opened the windows wid
Page 90 and 91: Plate 12 Two gurus of Indian Space
Page 92 and 93: final phase of integration. He help
Page 94 and 95: Nothing to be discouraged! We have
Page 96 and 97: Joshi, and Air Chief Marshal SK Kau
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Stewards T he launch of the IGMDP w
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to share their power with others an
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agencies would participate in the c
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12
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Shrimati Gandhi asked. I said, “J
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weaver shall look into the whole cl
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Triumphant The young engineers, 280
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was related to the tremendous speed
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motivational inventory of a leader
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a circle within which 50 per cent o
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Torchbearers Indian core competence
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clock for the next ten days, our sc
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In today’s world, technological b
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CONTEMPLATION [ 1991 - ] We create
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Emancipators O n Republic Day 1990,
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dedicated to making solid achieveme
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of an indigenous ship-launched anti
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16
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continues on a regular basis as the
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centres and 41 production centres s
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uilt nothing, possess nothing—no
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