"Vande Mataram" and PSLV - what have they to do with each other ?
At 10.17 A.M. on September 29, 1997, the indigenously designed Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) blasted off into space to put into orbit the 1.2 ton remote sensing satellite (IRS-1D).
In just 18 minutes, the Satellite was into its predetermined target.
The Indian Express reported "many spectators broke into thunderous shouts of "Vande Mataram" as the rocket took off with an ear-shattering rumble". Many secular newspapers did not report the significant recall of "Vande Mataram" by the crowd at Sriharikota.
The PSLV launch is a fabrication by Science and Technology - a purely secular affair. What has the battle cry of `Vande Mataram' to do with the launch ? This pre-independence mantra which sent thousands to jail and to gallows with smile on their face in the cause of our freedom, has been relegated by the secular leaders, parties and writers to the status of a communal concept. And yet those who saw the PSLV blast off spontaneously recalled this national motto.
For, the PSLV launch that succeeded on Monday is not a mere scientific achievement; it is a matter of honour for mother India. Mr.Kasturi Rangan, the mother is proud of you and your colleagues.
The Satellite launch required cryogenic engines and super computers. The US government had banned the sale of both to India.
Not just banning US sales to India; it had banned even the Russians from selling the cryogenic engines to India.
The Monday launch is our scientists answer to the ban. The answer is clear; when they refuse to sell, accept it as a challenge and do it yourself.
It is not the first time that the Indian Scientists have done India proud.
The US refused to sell the Super Computer to India, after having agreed with the late Rajiv Gandhi that they would transfer the technology.
Rajiv Gandhi took it as a challenge and encouraged a group of Scientists headed by Dr.Vijay Patkar to produce the Super Computer. Patkar and Co did produce "Param", the Super Computer - now it has become a part of our R & D habit to pursue more super varieties of computers. If the US had not banned the sale of Super Computers, we would not have trusted our scientists to produce them; we would be still importing them.
Likewise the US had banned the sale of Cray-XMP a Super Computer needed for the missile development programmes of India. The Defence Research Organisation headed by Dr.Abdul Khalam accepted the challenge and produced "Pace Plus" Super Computer, which was superior to what we wanted from the Americans.
Dr.Abdul Khalam and Co would not have been trusted by our government to do this, if the US had not banned the sale of Cray X MP to India. Similarly, the US government has banned the export of technology relating to Atomic Energy development, particularly the sale of enriched Uranium.
The Indian Scientists have taken up the challenge of substituting Uranium by Thorium. The KAMINI nuclear reactor in Kalpakkam which attained full capacity on September 17, 1997 is fuelled by Thorium. India has more than two-thirds of the World Thorium deposits.
If the Americans had not banned the export of Uranium, our government would not have asked our Scientists to find an alternative. Says Dr.Placid Rodrigues, Director of Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research; "Ban on export from US will help us". What he implies, but, does not say explicitly, is that the ban will force the nation and the government to rely more on Indian Scientists, which otherwise it will not.
Our leaders and bureaucrats always look for easy options. The easiest option is dependence on foreigners. So, we are told that without foreign investment, India will perish. But, the statistics show that between 1991 and 1996 the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) was only Rs.18,500 Crores against the locally generated investment of Rs.12,30,000 Crores (you may even miss the numbers).
The FDI accounted for less than 1.5%. Did any one, much less the Finance Minister, tell us that this nation produced 98.5% of its investment needs ?
We have no regard for our people in general; so we will have no regard for our Scientists. We disrespect our postmen who run the most massive postal system at the cheapest cost.
We deride our Railway employees who handle the most massive human transport at the lowest cost. We have become a self-deprecating nation.
So, we have no confidence in our own experts. Dr.Vijay Patkar told me that when he told Rajiv Gandhi that we could produce Super Computer in 18 months, Gandhi's advisers laughed at him. He said that except Rajiv Gandhi no one trusted him. Infact, he was not even given a place to start his research for 8 months - that was the time by which the production of Param was delayed.
Indians can do; but India needs leaders and bureaucrats who will have faith in India and Indians. If the Finance Minister says that the foreigners whom we drove out at great cost, should be welcomed back to develop India, and if he declares that for 5000 years India was poor and hungry and only in the last 5 years we are doing a little better, we can understand the extent of foreign dependent-mindset in the establishment today.
We need more Kasturi Rangans, Abdul Khalams, and Vijay Patkars to save our minds being enslaved. Yes, Vande Mataram is linked to Param, Pace Plus and PSLV.
The crowd at Srihari Kota was not just sloganeering "Vande Mataram".