Space century

HE CALLED his home “Retreat”, but it actually became a wonderful place of outreach when Dr. Vikram Sarabhai founded the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) there. This wonderful paradox sums up the life of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai who would have been 100 years old this year had he lived on. It is only proper that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has named the landing vehicle -- lander -- of Chandrayaan-2 after the father of India’s space programme. That India’s adventurous project of Moon landing has come about this year is the best tribute to the great man in his birth-centenary year.

Not long ago, India’s Mangalyaan, too, had completed its mission successfully, taking the country into the elite space league. Dr. Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai, the scion of a leading industrial family, had seen that dream which now stands fulfilled -- of deep space exploration, of placing India in a leadership position in the final frontier of science. Today, the world recognises that the Chandrayaan-2 mission will mark the beginning of the endeavour to establish Man’s permanent presence on the Moon.

‘The Hitavada’ joins the world to pay tributes to that remarkable man whose interests ranged from deep space exploration to industry to management science to performing arts to textile research and designing. Certainly and rightly, the world talks more of Dr. Sarabhai’s achievements as a pioneering scientist but he was also a terrific institution-builder and leader of men, which is evident from the manner in which he afforded a solid ethical, moral and scientific foundation to the ISRO and its various limbs, and created a phalanx of his followers whose capabilities even surpassed his own on occasions. These qualities of Dr. Sarabhai also came to fore when he co-founded the famed Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad and as its first Director gave it a foundation based on values that have remained unshaken till today. With his classical dancer wife Dr. Mrunalini Sarabhai, he founded the Darpan Academy of Performing Arts and presented immense possibilities to India’s connoisseur community. As President of International Atomic Energy Agency, as Vice President of the 4th United Nations Conference on Peaceful Use of Atomic Energy, as founder-Chairman of the Space Applications Centre, as Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission Dr. Vikram Sarabhai showed his legendary capacity to build institutions and lead sublime human endeavours into the zone of excellence. Whatever Dr. Sarabhai did was for a higher purpose of achieving a higher and higher level of refinement for human kind. He was a remarkable man, unique, leaving his signature inscribed on everything that stood for greatness.

As the world watches with bated breath the Chandrayaan-2 mission’s final descent near the Moon’s South Pole, it is proper to recall what Dr. Sarabhai did in his lifetime. More aptly, the question should be, “What did he not do?” For, he did everything possible for one person -- working 20 hours a day for all his life until Death overtook him in sleep in his living quarters at the Space Centre, his face covered by a book he was reading that late night. ‘Why did he go to bed? Had he not, he would have not passed away!’, a fellow scientist was reported to have exclaimed in deep grief the next morning as the world wept unabashedly.

That is actually the most remarkable of Dr. Sarabhai’s qualities -- unrelenting hard work, limitless energy, endless pursuit of excellence, merciless approach to self. ‘Keep it up’, he often told himself, as he built ISRO and other institutions of great worth for India -- brick by brick. But he never allowed fatigue to overtake him. ‘Remain awake, and you will never be tired’, he had told a bunch of youngsters in a college. So, he remained awake, and stood between India and the world that refused to cooperate. ‘Until I, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, stand, my country will never fail’, he often said.

All that contribution demonstrates itself so well in each of ISRO’s endeavours. He has been gone long back -- nearly fifty years ago -- but his legacy lives on, and Chandrayaan-2 is the latest evidence. A few days ago, Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi had told the world from rooftop that India’s space missions were less expensive than many Hollywood films. This frugality is Dr. Sarabhai’s gift to ISRO that has built a culture of austere engagement in otherwise expensive projects. ‘Look friends, we do not have money. We are a poor country. So, let us be strict with our spending,’ Dr. Sarabhai often said to fellow scientists.

Of course, that was also the reason why the ISRO story is full of difficult patches -- not just because of the paucity of funds, but also because of the pedestrian attitude of the rulers on several counts. Yet, the ISRO has imbibed Dr. Sarabhai’s values so well that it never allows itself to despair. It pushes on -- perfectly in tune with what the founder had willed. In an atmosphere of general apathy and indiscipline and casualness, ISRO presents an altogether different, vibrant India. That is Dr. Sarabhai’s gift to the nation.

What was most remarkable of that great man was his fantastic resilience, his unwavering commitment to the cause, and refusal to admit defeat. ‘So long as I stand here ...’, was his way of life. He took the onus on himself -- of everything that had to be done, and also of anything that went wrong. And when things went well, Dr. Sarabhai was almost always missing -- in some far corner of a laboratory or library. And that was why he never really understood why the Government was giving him the Padma Vibhushan! ‘Oh!’, was his single-word, surprised response.