A.P.J.ABDULKALAM

IgnitedMinds

UnleashingthePowerwithinIndia

PENGUINBOOKS

Contents

AbouttheAuthor

Dedication

Preface

1.TheDreamandtheMessage

2.GiveUsaRoleModel

3.VisionaryTeachersandScientists

4.LearningfromSaintsandSeers

5.PatriotismbeyondPoliticsandReligion

6.TheKnowledgeSociety

7.GettingtheForcesTogether

8.BuildingaNewState

9.ToMyCountrymen

Epilogue

SongofYouth

References

Acknowledgements

CopyrightPage

PENGUINBOOKS

IGNITEDMINDS

A.P.J.AbdulKalamisoneofIndia’smostdistinguishedscientists.HewasresponsibleforthedevelopmentofIndia’sfirstsatellitelaunchvehicle,theSLV-3,andthedevelopmentandoperationalizationofstrategicmissiles.AschairmanoftheTechnologyInformation,ForecastingandAssessmentCouncil,hepioneeredIndiaVision2020,aroadmapfortransformingIndiaintoaneconomicallydevelopednationby2020,focusingonPURAasadevelopmentsystemforcountrywideimplementation.KalamheldvariouspositionsintheIndianSpaceResearchOrganisationand

theDefenceResearchandDevelopmentOrganisationandbecameprincipalscientificadvisertotheGovernmentofIndia,holdingtherankofacabinetminister.ThePresidentofIndiabetween2002and2007,Kalamhasbeenawarded

honorarydoctoratesfromthirty-eightuniversitiesandthecountry’sthreehighestcivilianhonours—PadmaBhushan(1981),PadmaVibhushan(1990)andBharatRatna(1997).Kalamhasauthoredfifteenbooksonavarietyoftopicsthathavebeen

translatedintomanylanguagesacrosstheworld.HismostsignificantworksareWingsofFire,India2020:AVisionfortheNewMillenniumandIgnitedMinds.Henowconductslecturesonsocietaldevelopmentinmanyinternationalinstitutesandisinvolvedinresearchondifferentsocietalmissions.

PRAISEFORTHEBOOK

‘ThestrengthofIgnitedMinds…liesinthescientist’sabilitytopresentsomeofthemosttangledissuesthatconfrontthenationineasilydigestiblepackagesofinformation.’

–RajChengappainIndiaToday

‘Kalamisadreamerofgreatdreams…IgnitedMindswillfirethemindsoftheyoungtowhomitisprimarilyaddressed.’

–KhushwantSinghinOutlook

‘Itisnotpossiblein[a]shortreviewtoconveythevasteruditionofamanwhocoverssomuchofIndia’spast,presentandfutureinsuchsimple,communicableterms.Orhismanyrevolutionaryaswellaspracticalideasforthecountrywhichhesoobviouslyloves,ofwhichheissoproudandwhichhefeelscanbethecountryofhisdreamsby2020.’

–AmitaMalikinHindu

‘IgnitedMindsisabooktobereadbytheleadersandled,byyoungaswellasoldandbyallwholovetheircountry…Kalam[dares]tosaywhathaslongneededtobesaidbutwhichhasgoneunsaid…’

–M.V.KamathinSentinel

‘IgnitedMindsisalucidandelegantexpressionof[Kalam’s]dreamsaboutIndia’sfuture…Thisisafeel-goodbook.Itisatruepatriot’sself-helpguidetoabetternation.’

–WilsonJohninPioneer

Idedicatethisbooktoachildwhoisstudyinginclass12.HernameisSnehalThakkar.On11April2002whenIreachedAnandbyroadintheevening,itwasundercurfewfollowingcommunaldisturbances.Thenextday,attheAnandalayaHighSchool,whiletalkingtothestudents,aquestioncameup:‘Whoisour

enemy?’

Thereweremanyanswers,buttheoneweallagreedwascorrectcamefromher:‘OurenemyisPoverty.’

Itistherootcauseofourproblemsandshouldbetheobjectofourfight,notour

own.

Preface

Nationsconsistofpeople.Andwiththeireffortanationcanaccomplishallitcouldeverwant.MotivatingIndia’speople,anditsyouthespecially,isthecentralthemeofIgnitedMinds,whichcontinuesthetrajectoryofthoughtstakenupinmyearliertwobooks,WingsofFireandIndia2020:AVisionfortheNewMillennium,writtenwithmyfriendsArunTiwariandY.S.Rajan.IhavechosentowriteaboutthissubjectofignitingyoungmindssothatIndiaturnsintoadevelopednationbytheyear2020becauseallthroughmycareerinthefieldoftechnologyanditsmanagement,Ireliedonthepowerandpotentialofyouth.Mystrengthhasbeenmyyoungteamswhoneverletmedown.Andwhatsatisfactiontherewasinworkingwiththemonsomeofthemostcomplexprojectsinsomeofthemostchallengingsituations!Giventhefreedomtoachieveandguidedproperly,IamconvincedtheyoungofIndiacanaccomplishfarmore.AsIbeganwriting,IwonderedifIwasnotoverreachingmyself.Ithought:

WhoamItowriteaboutthiscapacityofIndiatorealizeitsdestinyasadevelopednation?WhatdoIreallyknowabouthowthiscanbeaccomplishedbeyondwhatIhavelearnedinmyprojectsandmissionsevolvedaroundscienceandtechnology?Isn’tthisanareathatpoliticalleaders,economists,thinkersandothercompetentpeoplewouldaddressbetter?HowamIqualifiedtotellothersaboutanabilitythathasbeengenerallyignored?AtfirstasIwasputtingdownmyexperienceswithyouth,Ihadnoideaof

whatIwouldhavetosay.However,IputasidemydoubtsandbegantoexaminewhatIhearfromthepeopleImeetduringmyvisitstodifferentplaces,particularlychildren,saintsandseers,teachers,scientists,industryleadersandevenpoliticalleaders.IamsureonmypartthatIndiahastheabilitytotransformitselfintoadevelopednation.Throughmyprojectsinspace,defenceandnuclearsectors,Iknowthatourpeoplehavetheabilitytoachievethebestintheworld.

Theyhaveafantasticmixofbeliefandknowledgethatsetsthemapartfromanyothernationonearth.Ialsoknowthattheirpotentialhasgoneuntappedbecausewehavebecomeusedtobeingsubjugatedanddocile.WhatbetterprojectcanIundertakethantotellmypeoplethatwhattheydreamofcanbecomepossible,thattheycanhaveanythingthatcomprisesagoodlife:health,education,thefreedomtopursuetheirgoals,andaboveall,peace.Myquestforanswersastohowthiscouldbedonetookmetoschools,the

countryside,ashramsandmanyotherplaceswhichwerenotpartofmyitineraryearlier.Itwasanewkindofexperience,averystimulatingoneatthat.ThepaddyfieldsinBiharlefttoanad-hoccycleofagriculture,theuntappedmineralwealthofthenewlyformedstateofJharkhandandtheunattendedbiodiversityofTripuraarethrowingagreatchallengetotheknowledgeerathatisdawning.InAssamthesightofthemightyBrahmaputraalmostmesmerizedme.Itsvastexpanseofwaterfilledmewithastrangesenseofhelplessnesstoo–theriver’suntappedflowwastakingagiganticmassofwaterintothesea.Itmademethink,thatasanationtoowewerefailingtoutilizeourtremendousenergies.Wherearewemakingamistake?Whatisitthatneedstobecorrected?We

havearoadmapinourfive-yearplansthatcoverssomeofthethingsweneedtoachieve.Wehavemostofthenecessaryresources.Thereseemstobeanattitudeproblem,asifwecannotshakeourselvesoutofamindsetoflimitedachievement.Thisbookisallaboutbreakingawayfromtheforcesthatwouldpreferustoremainanationofabillionpeoplesellingcheaplabourandrawmaterialsandprovidingalargemarketforgoodsandservicesofothernations.Iamwritingthisbooktomakemyyoungreadershearavoicethatsays,‘Start

moving.’Leadershipmustleadustoprosperity.YoungIndianswithconstructiveideasshouldnothavetoseethemwitherinthelongwaitforapproval.Theyhavetoriseabovenormswhicharemeanttokeepthemtimidinthenameofsafetyandtodiscourageentrepreneurshipinthenameoftraderegimes,organizationalorderandgroupbehaviour.Asitissaid,Thinkingisthecapital,Enterpriseistheway,HardWorkisthesolution.Everynationhasstruggledtoachieveitsgoals.Generationshavegiventheir

besttomakelifebetterfortheiroffspring.Thereisnothingmysteriousorhiddenaboutthis,noalternativetoeffort.Andyetwefailtofollowthewinningtrack.Morethantheproblemsoutside–globalization,recession,inflation,insurgency,

instabilityandsoon–Iamconcernedabouttheinertiathathasgrippedthenationalpsyche,themindsetofdefeat.Ibelievethatwhenwebelieveinourgoals,thatwhatwedreamofcanbecomereality,resultswillbegintofollow.IgnitedMindsisaboutdevelopingthatconvictioninourselves,anddiscardingthethingsthatholdusback.Thiswas,infact,acentralthoughtthatIkeptinmindasIwrote.Sharemy

dreamofadevelopedIndiaandseeitmaderealinyourownandothers’lives.Inmyownway,Ihavetriedtofollowmybeliefs,todowhatIloveddoing.Ihavetried,however,toguidebutnottoimposemyviewsonothers.Youwillfindinthisbookplainspeaking:Surgeaheadasadevelopednation

orperishinperpetualpoverty,subservienttoafewcountriesthatcontroltheworldpoliticallyandeconomically.Therearenootheralternatives.Intheninechaptersofthisbook,Itakeupvariousthemes.Ibeginwitha

ruminationonpeace,withoutwhichtherecanbenoprogress,andontheshiftinthedirectionofmyownlifethatoccurredaftersurvivingahelicoptercrash.ThereisachapterbasedonmyinteractionwithchildrenalloverIndia.OtherchapterscontaintheinsightsIgainedinmymeetingswithsaintsandseers,scientists,outstandingthinkersandothers.Thereareaccountsofsomepromisingexperimentsinagricultureandinthemedicalfield.ElsewhereIdealwithconceptsthatcarrytheseedofsolutions.Thecontentsessentiallycomefromthepeopleofthisnation,fromwhattheyhavetaughtme.IhavewrittenthisbookasanexpressionofmyfaithinthepotentialofIndia

andmycountrymen.Wehavealltheresourcesweneed,whetheritbepeople,talent,naturalbountyorotherassets.Indiaistrulyblessedwithareal,thoughlatent,abundance.Scarcityofresourcesisnotthecauseofourproblems.Ourproblemsoriginateinourapproachtowardsthem.Wearespreadingourresourcestoowideandtoothin.Withourresourcesandthemoneywespendwecouldeasilyaccomplishthreetimeswhatwedo,inhalfthetimewenormallytake,ifweweretooperateinmissionmodewithavisionforthenation.Thevisiongeneratesthebestineveryfield.Wemustchangetracks.Itisimperativethatourpolicymakingbecomemore

responsiveandefficientsothatthestifledentrepreneurshipisliberated.Keytothatisbettercoordinationamongthevariousdepartments,ratherthanemphasisonprioritiesaccordingtothepreferencesofindividualdepartments.Thereare

morereviewsthanviewsavailable.Everychannelappearsblockedbysomeobstacleortheother.Thetrappedenergiesandthesuppressedinitiativeneedtobefreedandproperlyharnessed.Nordoweparticularlyneedeverytimetoborrowmodelsfromelsewhere.Idon’tthinktheAmerican,JapaneseorSingaporeansolutionswillworkforus.Knockingatothers’doorswillbefutile.Insteadofimportingtheoriesandtransplantingconceptsweneedtogrowourownsolutions.Insteadofsearchingforanswersoutsidewewillhavetolookwithinforthem.Ihopethatwhenyougothroughtheseninechaptersyouwillbegiventhe

guidancethatIgotfromthepeopleofmycountryandfeelconnectedtothewisdomthatissospecialtothissoil.Therealityofadevelopednationwillbecomepartofyourdailylife.TwentyyearsfromnowImaynotbearound.ButIamsuremanyofyouwillbetheretoshareinthegloryofsuccessandagreethatIwasrightinbeingsoconfident.Manyfriendsandassociateshelpedmeputthisbooktogether.Iamgratefulto

themall.MyspecialthankstoMrY.S.Rajan,andDrM.S.Vijayaraghavanforshapingmythoughtswiththeirvitalinputs.DrA.SivathanuPillaihasworkedwithmeforalongtimeandhiscontributionhasbeenbothtimelyandinvaluableingivingshapetoideasandthoughts.Iamfortunatetohavehisfriendship.IamgratefultoMrH.Sheridonwhodirectlykeyedinmydictationsintohislaptopcomputerwithoutstandingskill.Myco-authorinWingsofFire,MrArunK.Tiwari,didhisusualcraftsmanshipwithwordsonthemanuscriptandIappreciateeverybitofthat.ItwasagreatpleasuretoworkwithMrKrishanChopraofPenguinBooks.Fromtheemanationofmythoughtstothebook’srealization,hisconstantinteractionwasofgreatsupport.

ChennaiApril2002

A.P.J.AbdulKalam

1

TheDreamandtheMessage

Dream,Dream,DreamDreamtransformintothoughtsAndthoughtsresultinaction

On30September2001,IwasonmywaytoBokarofromRanchiinJharkhandwhenthehelicoptercarryingmecrashedmomentsbeforelanding.Ithittheearthwithathudafteritsenginefailed.Allofusonboardhadamiraculousescape.GratefultoGodbutunfazedbytheincident,IwentaheadwithmyscheduledprogrammeofaddressingthestudentsinBokaro.Atnight,however,apanelofdoctorspersuadedmetotakeatranquillizertoalleviatemyperceivedshock.Thedrugmademesleephoursaheadofmyusualtime–1a.m.Ialsofailedtoriseatmyusual6a.m.andwokeuponlyaftereighto’clock.Itwas,however,adisturbedsleep,andsometimeinthemiddleofit,Ifellto

thinkingwhythehumanrace,thebestofallofGod’screations,hasbeensodeeplydividedbyviolence.IimaginedaconversationbetweenfivepeoplewhotogethersymbolizethefinestattributesofthehumanmindandwhomIadmiredeeply.Throughtheirconversation,Isoughtananswer.Inthisexperience,muchmoreintenseandvividthanadream,thoughforwantofabetterwordIshalltermitthat,Isawmyselfinadesertwithmilesofsandallaround.Therewasafullmoonandthedesertwasbathedinitslight.Fivemen–MahatmaGandhi,AlbertEinstein,EmperorAsoka,AbrahamLincolnandCaliphOmar–stoodinacircle,theirclothesruffledbythewind.IfeltmyselfdwarfedstandingnexttothemajesticEmperorAsoka.Asokaled

twolives,oneasaruthlessconquerorandtheotherasacompassionateruler.ThemanIstoodbesidewastheonewhohadjustreturnedfromconquest.Butvictoryhadbeenobtainedatheavycost:thebattleofKalingaclaimedthelives

ofatleast300,000peopleandanequalnumberwerewounded.IsaweveryonelookingatAsokawhofellonhiskneesandremovedhisarmourandcrown.Hisfacewaspale,reflectingthedeathsurroundinghim.Helookedatthesky.HesawthebrightcoolmoonshiningandGod’sgracepouringdownonmotherearth.Andhelookeddownatthehorrorhehadcreated,makingbloodfloweverywhere.Inthatmomentofbeautyandhorror–thesilvermoonlightandthesufferingandpainontheground,whenNatureitselfseemedtospeakoutagainstwhathehadwrought,AhimsaDharmawasborn.EmperorAsokaembracedGod’scommandtopropagateloveforhumanbeingsthroughthisdoctrine.AsIstoodby,Iwondered.WhytheKalingawar,whytheassassinationof

MahatmaGandhiandofAbrahamLincoln?Ormanyotherslikethem?HasGodAlmightyfalteredinHisCreation?IsthedestructionofmankindessentialforaSecondCreation?InthatblissfulsilencetheMahatmaspoke,‘Friends,thedivinemessagewe

arehearingisthemessageofcreation.Sinceweallbelongtoplanetearth,wemaygiveamessagetomankind,howpeopleofdifferentraces,religionsandlanguagescanlivepeacefullyandprosperouslytogether.‘GodAlmightyhasblessedusallwithsomethinguniquethatwepassedonto

mankindthroughourdeedsandefforts.Isthatworking?Isthereanydivinemessageordoctrine?Divinebeautyshouldenterthehumansoulandhappinessblossominthebodyandmind.Isitpossible?’Asokasaid,‘Friends,thereisonethingIhaverealized,thereisnovictoryin

causingsuffering.Triumphisapeacefulkingdom.’CaliphOmarsaid,‘IlearnedafterIenteredJerusalemthatallmenareequal.

Thereisnopointinforcingotherstofollowyourpath.Youwillgetonlythatwhichisordainedforyou.Godaloneisthesovereign.’CaliphOmarneversawhispositionintermsofthespecialprivilegesthatit

carried.Tohimgovernmentwasasacredtrustandhedidhisbestnottobetraythattrustinanyway.ItwasEinstein’sturn.‘IwouldliketorecallmyfriendWernerHeisenberg’s

view,“Youknow,intheWestwehavebuiltalarge,beautifulship.Ithasallthecomfortsinit,butonethingismissing:ithasnocompassanddoesnotknowwheretogo.MenlikeTagoreandGandhiandtheirspiritualforebearsfoundthe

compass.Whycanthiscompassnotbeputinthehumanshipsothatbothcanrealizetheirpurpose?”’AbrahamLincoln,thegreatAmericanleaderwhofoughtagainstslaveryand

whoselifeparalleledthatoftheMahatmaincertainrespects,saidatthispoint,‘ThereisonethingthatIwouldliketosay:happinesscomesfromafamily’sprosperityatvariouslevels.God’sgracegivesblisstohumanlives.Happinessandblissaretwoimportantcomponentsofagodlylifeonearth.Perhapsthereissomuchconflictbetweenpeoplesandnationsbecauseinourpursuitofprosperityandpowerwehavelostsightofethicalvalues.Wemustaskourselves,whatistheroleofhumanconsciousness?Doesithaveapartinpoliticalthinking,scientificthinkingandtheologicalthinking?Isspiritualityacceptableinthebusinessoflife?’MahatmaGandhirecalledsageAshtavakrawhopropounded,‘“Ohmyson!

YouaretheveryConsciousnesswithinwhicharisesthisphenomenaluniversethatisnotseparatefromwhatyouare.Howcantherebeaquestionofanythingbeingacceptableorunacceptable?”Letthebusinessoflifebepeaceandprosperity,andnotexploitationandconflict.‘Thisisourmessagetotheplanet.Everythingthatwedo,anydoctrinethatwe

espouse,shouldbeforthegoodofhumankind.’ThenextmorningIkeptsittingforsometimedrinkingmyteaandpondering

aboutthisstrangedream.Whatifthehelicopterhadlostpoweratsomemoreheight?Justafewhoursbeforemyownmishap,aplanecarryingapromisingleaderandateamofyoungandtalentedjournalistshadcrashed,killingall.Ihadbeenluckytosurviveandnowtherewasthenight’sexperiencethatseemedtoholdamessageforme.WhatshouldIdo?Ilookedoutofthewindow.Thesunwaswellupintheskyandtherewasa

soothingbreeze.Ihavealwayslivedinclosetouchwithnatureandhavealwaysfounditafriend,givingwithoutreservation,likethemangotree–peoplethrowstonesatit,breakoffitsbranches,butitstilloffersitsshadetothewearytraveller,anditsfruittothehungry.WhetheritwastheseaatRameswaram,ThumbaandChandipur;thedesertatPokhran;orthegiganticbouldersinHyderabad,naturehasalwaysmadeitspresencefeltwhereverIhaveworked.Ithashelpedtoremindmeofthedivineforcethatpervadesallofcreation.

Ikeptonponderingovermydream.Andyet,thehistoryoftheworldshowstheforcesofgoodstrugglinghardtomakelifebetterformankindwhilethehumanracealsoshowsaterriblecapacityfordestruction.ThuswehaveGandhi,andothergreatsaintsandteacherswholaydownthepreceptsforahappyandvirtuouslife,ontheonehand,andontheotherthedeathofmillionsintheSecondWorldWarandthedroppingofatomicbombsthatdestroyedentirecities.ThousandshavediedintheBosniaconflict,theIsrael—Palestineconflictcontinuestotakelives,andon11September2001terroristsusedanewtactictotakeliveswhentheystruckattheWorldTradeCenterinNewYork.Athome,intheBhopalgastragedy,30,000peoplediedastheresultofthecarelessnessofamultinationalcompany,andthousandsmorehavediedintheKashmirValleyviolence.On13December2001,whentheleadersofIndiawereinParliament,anattemptwasmadebytheterroriststoparalysethecountry.Wherewillitallstop?Arewedoomedtodestroyourselves?No,wehavetofindaneverlastingsolution.IrecallapoemIwroteafewyearsago,‘TheTreeofLife’.‘You,thehumanracearethebestofmycreationsYouwillliveandlive,Andgiveandgivetillyouareunited,Inhappinessandpain!Myblisswillbeborninyou,Loveisacontinuum,Thatisthemissionofhumanity,YouwillseeeverydayintheLifeTree.Youlearnandlearn,Mybestofcreations.’

ThefivegreathumanbeingsIsawinmydreamlivedatdifferenttimes.Inthemodernworld,therearefewexamplesofhumanbeingswhoembodythequalitiesthatcomefromrealizingthenatureofthemind.OnceachildaskedmeifIhadreadtheMahabharataandifso,whomyfavouritecharacterinitwas.Themultifacetedcharactersintheepicrepresentalmosteveryaspectofhumannature,goodaswellasbad.ItoldthechildthatIwasparticularlyattractedtothecharacterofVidura,whoshowedgritagainstthewrongdoingsofauthorityandhadthecouragetodifferwheneveryoneelsechosetosurrenderbeforethetyrannyofadharma.

Today,itishardforustofindonetrueViduraamongourleaders.Itishardforustoimaginesuchanenlightenedbeingandevenharderforustoaimforsuchenlightenment.Morediscouragingstillisthequalityofpubliclifetoday,thelowlevelofdiscourseandthepresenceofsomuchego,anger,greed,jealousy,spite,cruelty,lust,fear,anxietyandturmoil!Ifeltanewdeterminationdawninginsideme.InthismymostimportantdecisionIdecidedtohelpdiscoverthenatureof

India’strueselfinitschildren.MyownworkandindeedIasapersonwererelegatedtothebackground.Myscientificcareer,myteams,myawards,allthisbecamesecondary.IwantedinsteadtobeapartoftheeternalintelligencethatisIndia.Ihopedtotranscendmyselfanddiscovertheinner,higherselfthatisinusthroughmyinteractionwithjoyouschildren.Amanissaidtopassthroughdifferentstagesinhislifetime.DrWayneW.

Dyer,inhisbookManifestYourDestiny,makesaninterestingcategorizationofthemasatheletestage,warriorstage,statespersonstageandspiritstage.ItoccurredtomethatnationstoomakeasimilartransitionandinextendingthisanalogytothemIhavetermedthelasttwostagesbigbrotherandself-realizationstagesrespectively.Thestagesdonotfollowinsequencenecessarily;theycanbecoexistent,withoneaspectdominant.Inthefirst,athletestage,anationfreshfromanindependencestruggle,or

someothertransition,embarksonanenergeticpursuitofperformanceandachievement.ThishashappenedinJapan,SingaporeandMalaysia.Whenanationleavesthisstagebehind,itgenerallyentersthewarriorstage.

Proudofitsachievements,itfindswaystodemonstrateitssuperiorityoverothers,perhapsthroughconquest.Egoisthedrivingforce.Duringthisstagepeoplearebusywithgoalsandachievementsincompetitionwithothersandthis,asDyerpointsoutfortheindividual,generatesanxiety.Convincingothersofitssuperioritybecomesthetheme.Inthenext,bigbrotherstage,theegohasbeentamedsomewhatandwithits

newfoundmaturityawarenessshiftstowhatisimportanttoothernationsandsocieties.Inthebigbrotherstagethenationisstillanachieverbutitisnotsoobsessedwithprovingitsstrength.Theideaistohelpothersbecomebetter.TheerstwhileSovietUnionbyitsdevelopmentalroleinsomecountrieshadadopted

thisrole.Aswiththeindividual,sotoowiththenation,thetransitionfromthewarriorstagetothebigbrotherstageisarewardingbutdifficultexercise.Thereisonestageevenhigherthanthisbigbrotherstage.Inthis,anation

recognizesitstruestessence.Itcomesoutofthewisdomthattheearthisnosinglenation’sinheritancebutofall,anditspeopleareawareoftheresponsibilityoftheindividualtowardshisfellowhumanbeings.Thiscanbecalledtherealizationstage,andIndiamayhavethepotentialtoachieveit.Inmyworkingcareerofforty-threeyears,Ihavechangedmytasksinseveral

institutions.Changeiscrucial.Itbringsnewthought;newthoughtleadstoinnovativeactions.On15August2001,Itookadecisiontogoforanotherchange.ImentionedmyintentiontoPrimeMinisterAtalBihariVajpayee,whoaskedmetorethink.Ihadspokentohimofmydesiretoberelievedonafewearlieroccasionstoobutheadvisedmetocontinueandprevailed.AsarocketmantooIworkedwithstages.Eachstageisjettisonedaftertaking

therocketfurtheralongitsintendedtrajectory.IworkedwiththeIndianSpaceResearchOrganization(ISRO)during1963—82.In1980,IndialauncheditsfirstsatellitelaunchvehiclesuccessfullythatputtheRohinisatelliteintoorbitandbecameamemberoftheexclusivespaceclub.IheadedtheteamasProjectDirectorofthemissionforSLV-3.Oursuccessinthiseffortgavethenationsatellitelaunchvehicletechnologyandexpertiseincontrol,guidance,propulsionandaerodynamics,besidestheabilitytodesignvariousrocketsystems.Aboveall,thisprojectenrichedtheorganizationwithenhancedcapabilitiesindesign,developmentandmanagementsystemsintegratinginputsfromdifferentinstitutionssuchasR&Dlaboratories,industryandacademia.Andtheprogrammealsogaveleadersintechnologyandmanagement.Todaytheyareallworkinginvariousspaceanddefenceprogrammes.Thiswasmyfirststage,inwhichIlearntleadershipfromthreegreatteachers–DrVikramSarabhai,Prof.SatishDhawanandDrBrahmPrakash.Thiswasthetimeoflearningandacquisitionofknowledgeforme.Thesecondstagecouldthenbefrom1982intheDefenceResearchand

DevelopmentOrganization(DRDO).AgainitwasteamworkagainstthebackgroundofdenialoftechnologythroughtheinstrumentsoftheMissileTechnologyControlRegime(MTCR)andtheNuclearNon-ProliferationTreaty(NPT).IhadtheopportunitytoworkwithteamsandDRDOlabsthatledtothe

design,development,productionandoperationalizationoftwostrategicmissiles.ThesetypesofstrategicmissileswillnotbeavailabletoIndiafromanycountry,nomatterhowfriendlyourrelationswithit.Duringthisperiod,threenewlaboratoriesandfacilities,oneintheareaofmissiletechnologycalledResearchCentreImarat(RCI)atHyderabadandtwoothermissiletestcentres,oneonthemainlandandtheotheronanisland,nearChandipuronthecoastofBayofBengal,werebornwithexcellentcapabilities.Inaddition,thenationbecamestrongascapabilityincriticaltechnologiesemergedfromlaboratoriesandacademicinstitutionsthathelpedusovercometheconstraintsoftheMTCR.Myteamcoulddesignanddevelopanytypeofmissilesystem,includingtheIntercontinentalBallisticMissile(ICBM).Duringthisstage,Ihavegonethroughmanysuccessesandsomefailures.I

learntfromfailuresandhardenedmyselfwithcouragetofacethem.Thiswasmysecondstage,whichtaughtmethecruciallessonofmanagingfailures.ThethirdstagecanbetheparticipationinIndia’smissiontobecomea

nuclear-weaponstatewithagreatpartnershipbetweentheDepartmentofAtomicEnergy(DAE)andDRDOwiththesupportofthearmedforces.Thiswasamissionwellaccomplished.However,whenchildrenaskme,‘Whathasgivenyouhappinessinyourlife

inthelastfortyyears?’IsayIgethappinesswhenheartpatientscarryKRcoronarystentintheirarteriesandwhenthephysicallyhandicappedchildrenfittedwiththelightweightFloorReactionOrthosis(FRO)callipersfindtheirdifficultieseasedsomewhat.Bothofthesecameasspin-offsfrommissiletechnologies.Duringthisstage,IheldthepositionofChairmanoftheTechnology

Information,ForecastingandAssessmentCouncil(TIFAC)undertheDepartmentofScienceandTechnology,fornearlytwotenures(abouteightyears).ThisperiodsawthecreationofTechnologyVision2020basedontheworkoftaskteamsconsistingof500expertsinallwhohadavailabletotheminputsfrom5,000scientistsandtechnologistsfromdifferentfields.Later,theTechnologyVisiondocumentandthenationalsecurityaspectsgotintegratedandtheIndiaMillenniumMissions(IMM2020)emerged.WhenItookoverasPrincipalScientificAdvisertotheGovernmentofIndia,inNovember1999,thetaskwastododetailingandevolveaworkingplanforIMM2020.Itisindeeda

roadmapfortransformingIndiaintoadevelopedcountry–theSecondVisionoftheNation.Certainexperimentalworkoneducation,agricultureandalsodevelopmentofanumberofvillagesinanintegratedwayiscurrentlyprogressing.ACabinetpaperonthesubjecthasbeenmovedforapprovalofthegovernment.Duringthisthirdstage,itwasbuildingtechnologicalstrengthwithinstitutionalpartnership,adaptingtechnologytosocietalneedsandformulatingthevisionfortheNationthatoccupiedme.Thehelicoptermishapof30September2001mademerealizethatthetimeto

jettisonthethirdstagehadarrived.Thisthoughtwasfurtherreinforcedon2October,thebirthdayofMahatmaGandhi,whenIvisitedMataAmritanandamayi’sAshramatKollaminKerala.Sheemphasizedtheneedtointegratespiritualitywitheducationtocreateanewgenerationofleadersandentrepreneurs.On12October2001,threedaysbeforeIwouldcompletemyseventyorbitsaroundthesun,IformallywrotetothePrimeMinisteraboutmydecisiontoretireandrequestedtoberelievedinamonth’stime.HerelentedthistimeandIprevailed.MeanwhileIkeepvisitingschools.Duringmyvisitstomanystates,

particularlytwoofthenorth-easternstates,AssamandTripura,andJharkhandandalsoafewplacesinTamilNadu,Ihaveaddressedthousandsofstudents,about40,000atlastcount.IhavefoundthatIcommunicatewellwiththisagegroup;Isharetheirimagination.Mostimportant,throughmyinteractionwiththem,IfeelIcanigniteintheirmindsaloveforscience,andthroughit,asenseofmissionforachievingadevelopedIndia.Willthisbemyfourthstage?ShallIbesuccessful?Ireallydon’tknow.But

whatIdoknowisthatthereisnogreaterpowerinheavenoronearththanthecommitmenttoadream.Dreamsholdsomethingofthatenergywhichliesattheheartofallthingsandarethebindingforcethatbringsthespiritualandthematerialtogether.Ithadbeeninmymindforthepastfewyearstoundertakeresearchand

teaching.Forthispurpose,combinedwithmydesiretofindtimetomeetschoolchildren,IhaveshiftedtoAnnaUniversity–myalmamater.Whatagreatfeelingitistobeamongyoungpeoplebubblingwithcreativityandenthusiasm!Whatagreatresponsibilitytheeldersofthiscountryhaveathandtoguidethis

tremendousenergyinaconstructivewayfornationbuilding!Howcanwemakeupformissedopportunitiesandthefailuresofthepast?

SUMMARY

Spiritualitymustbeintegratedwitheducation.Self-realizationisthefocus.Eachoneofusmustbecomeawareofourhigherself.Wearelinksofagreatpasttoagrandfuture.Weshouldigniteourdormantinnerenergyandletitguideourlives.Theradianceofsuchmindsembarkedonconstructiveendeavourwillbringpeace,prosperityandblisstothisnation.

2

GiveUsaRoleModel

Menoftenbecomewhattheybelievethemselvestobe.IfIbelieveIcannotdosomething,itmakesmeincapableofdoingit.ButwhenIbelieveIcan,thenIacquiretheabilitytodoitevenifIdidn’thaveitinthebeginning.

—MahatmaGandhi

WhyshouldImeetyoungstudentsinparticular?SeekingtheanswerIwentbacktomystudentdays.FromtheislandofRameswaram,whatagreatjourneyit’sbeen!Lookingbackitallseemsquiteincredible.Whatwasitthatmadeitpossible?Hardwork?Ambition?Manythingscometomymind.IfeelthemostimportantthingwasthatIalwaysassessedmyworthbythevalueofmycontribution.Thefundamentalthingisthatyoumustknowthatyoudeservethegoodthingsoflife,thebenefitsthatGodbestows.UnlessourstudentsandyoungbelievethattheyareworthyofbeingcitizensofadevelopedIndia,howwilltheyeverberesponsibleandenlightenedcitizens?Thereisnothingmysteriousabouttheabundanceindevelopednations.The

historicfactisthatthepeopleofthesenations–theG8astheyarecalled–believedovermanygenerationsthattheymustliveagoodlifeinastrongandprosperousnation.Therealitybecamealignedwiththeiraspirations.Idonotthinkthatabundanceandspiritualityaremutuallyexclusiveorthatit

iswrongtodesirematerialthings.Forinstance,whileIpersonallycherishalifewithminimumofpossessions,Iadmireabundance,foritbringsalongwithitsecurityandconfidence,andtheseeventuallyhelppreserveourfreedom.Naturetoodoesnotdoanythingbyhalfmeasures,asyouwillseeifyoulookaroundyou.Gotoagarden.Inseason,thereisaprofusionofflowers.Orlookup.Theuniversestretchesintoinfinitude,vastbeyondbelief.

Allthatweseeintheworldisanembodimentofenergy.Weareapartofthecosmicenergytoo,asSriAurobindosays.Thereforewhenwebegintoappreciatethatspiritandmatterarebothpartofexistence,areinharmonywitheachother,weshallrealizethatitiswrongtofeelthatitissomehowshamefulornon-spiritualtodesirematerialthings.Yet,thisiswhatweareoftenledtobelieve.Certainlythereisnothingwrong

withanattitudeofmakingdowiththeminimum,inleadingalifeofasceticism.MahatmaGandhiledsuchalifebutinhiscaseasinyoursithastobeamatterofchoice.Youfollowsuchalifestylebecauseitanswersaneedthatarisesfromdeepwithinyou.However,makingavirtueofsacrificeandwhatisforceduponyou–tocelebratesuffering–isadifferentthingaltogether.Thiswasthebasisofmydecisiontocontactouryoung.Toknowtheirdreamsandtellthemthatitisperfectlyallrighttodreamofagoodlife,anabundantlife,alifefullofpleasuresandcomforts,andworkforthatgoldenera.Whateveryoudomustcomefromtheheart,expressyourspirit,andtherebyyouwillalsospreadloveandjoyaroundyou.MyfirstsuchmeetingtookplaceinahighschoolinTripura.Itwasa

gatheringof500studentsandteachers.AftermytalkonthesecondvisionfortransformingIndiaintoadevelopednation,therewereaseriesofquestions,twoofwhichIwouldliketodiscuss.Thefirstquestionwas:‘Wheredowegetarolemodelfrom,howdoyougetarolemodel?’Whetherweareawareofitornot,fromchildhoodonwards,throughvarious

phasesoflife,weadoptrolemodels.Isaid,‘Whenyouaregrowingup,saytilltheageoffifteen,thebestrolemodelIcanthinkofwouldbeyourfather,yourmotherandyourschoolteacher.’They,tomymind,arethepeoplewhocanimpartthebestguidanceduringthisperiod.Iturnedtotheteachersandparentspresentthereandtoldthemwhatabigresponsibilitytheyhave.Ipersonallybelievethefulldevelopmentofachildwithavaluesystemcanonlycomefromthesepeople.Inmyownhome,whenIwasgrowingup,Iusedtoseemyfatherandmothersaynamazfivetimesaday,andinspiteoftheirmodestfinancialresources,Ifoundthemalwaysgivingtotheneedyaround.Myteacher,SivasubramaniaIyer,wasresponsibleforpersuadingmyfathertosendmetoschoolsettingasidefinancialconstraints.Itisveryimportantforeveryparenttobewillingtomaketheefforttoguidechildrentobegoodhumanbeings–

enlightenedandhard-working.Theteacher,thechild’swindowtolearningandknowledge,hastoplaytherolemodelingeneratingcreativityinthechild.ThistriangleisindeedtherealrolemodelIcanthinkof.Iwouldevengototheextentofsayingthatifparentsandteachersshowtherequireddedicationtoshapethelivesoftheyoung,Indiawouldgetanewlife.Asitissaid:Behindtheparentsstandstheschool,andbehindtheteacherthehome.Educationandtheteacher—studentrelationshiphavetobeseennotinbusinesstermsbutwiththenation’sgrowthinmind.Apropereducationwouldhelpnurtureasenseofdignityandself-respectamongouryouth.Thesearequalitiesnolawcanenforce–theyhavetobenurturedourselves.ThechildrenenjoyedthisanswerthoughIdon’tknowwhethertheparentsand

teachersgotthemessage.Anothergirlinallseriousnessasked,‘Everydaywereadinthenewspaperor

hearourparentstalkaboutatankvadis(terrorists).Whoarethey?Dotheybelongtoourcountry?’Thisquestionreallyshockedme.Imyselfwassearchingforananswer.Theyareourownpeople.Sometimeswecreatethemthroughpoliticalandeconomicisolation.Ortheycanbefanatics,sometimessponsoredbyhostilenations,tryingtodisruptnormallifethroughterrorism.Ilookedattheaudience,atthepeoplesittingbymyside,attheteachers,andattheskyforananswer.Isaid,‘Children,Iamremindedofourepics,theRamayanaandMahabharata.IntheRamayanathebattleisbetweenthedivineheroRamaanddemonkingRavana.Itisalong-drawnbattlethatfinallyRamawins.IntheMahabharata,thereisthebattleatKurukshetra.Inthisfightbetweengoodandevil,Dharmawinsagain.Thebattlesaremanybutfinallypeacetriumphs.Inourtimestoowehaveseenthisbattlebetweengoodandevil–forinstance,theSecondWorldWar.Itseemstomethatbothgoodandevilwillsurvivesidebyside.TheAlmightydoeshelpthembothtovariousdegrees!Howtominimizetheevilthroughourspiritualgrowthisaquestionthathaspersistedthroughouthumanhistory.’Onanotheroccasion,IaddressedaverylargegatheringofstudentsatSt

Mary’sSchool,DindigulinTamilNaduontheirseventy-fifthanniversarycelebrations.Amongthelargenumberofchildrenwishingtomeetmeweretwowhowereinahurrytogetananswerfromme.Onestudentasked,‘IhavereadyourbookAgniSiragugal(theTamilversionofWingsofFire).Youalwaysgiveamessagetodream.Tellme,whydream?’

Myanswerwastoaskthegatheredchildrentorecitethefollowing:‘Dream,dream,dream.Dreamtransformsintothoughts.Thoughtsresultinactions.’Itoldthem,‘Friends,iftherearenodreams,therearenorevolutionarythoughts;iftherearenothoughts,noactionswillemanate.Hence,parentsandteachersshouldallowtheirchildrentodream.Successalwaysfollowsdreamsattemptedthoughtheremaybesomesetbacksanddelays.’Anotherboyasked,‘Pleasetellme,whowouldbethefirstscientistinthe

world?’Itoccurredtome–sciencewasbornandsurvivesonlybyquestions.Thewholefoundationofscienceisquestioning.Andasparentsandteacherswellknow,childrenarethesourceofunendingquestions.Hence,‘Childisthefirstscientist,’Ireplied.Therewasthunderousapplause.Thechildrenenjoyedthisdifferentwayofthinking.Teachersandparentsalsosmiledattheanswer.DuringmyvisittoAssam,IvisitedTezpur.Ihadgonefortheconvocation

ceremonyofTezpurUniversityandalsotoreceivethehonorarydoctorateconferredonme.Aftertheconvocation,Itookofftomeetschoolchildren.Itwasabiggatheringofyoungpeople.Thethemeofmyaddresswas‘IndomitableSpirit’.AssoonasIfinishedmytalktheyoungstersmobbedmeforautographs.WhenIfinishedgivingautographsIfacedtwointerestingquestions.Onewas:‘WhycannotwaterfromtheBrahmaputra,whichisinfloodmuchofthetime,bedivertedtoRajasthanorTamilNaduwhicharestarvedofwater?’Onlychildrenwillhavetheseinnovativeideas.Grown-upstendtoseemore

impossibilities.Itwassuchapowerfulquestion,Iwascompletelybeaten.IwassureeventhePrimeMinisterwouldnothavebeenabletoanswerit!Howtotelltheboy,riversareastatesubjectandourstatesarefightingfortherightstotheirwaters?Thatthesewouldbringthemprosperitysomedaybutmeanwhiletheywereflowingwastefullyintotheseaandcausingfloodseveryyear.Howtoanswerit?Isaid,‘IndiaVision2020demandsfromtheyoungthattheystartagreat

missionofconnectingriverscuttingacrossthestates.’Ipersonallyfeeltheyounghavethemostpowerfulminds.Theycanovercomethenegativityofthebureaucracyandsomeself-centredpoliciesofthestategovernmentstoenrichthepeopleofthecountry.TheycanevenimprovecoordinationbetweenthestatesandtheCentre.Andtheysurelywill!

AnotherstudentaskedmeaquestionforwhichagainIhadnoreadyanswer.Hesaid,‘Sir,bigleadersinanyfielddon’tcomeandtalktous.WeseeourPrimeMinisteroftengoingtoChennai,Lucknow,andmanyplaces.Buthenevercomeshere.Wewanthim;wewanttotalktohim.’Iwasimpressedbythisurgetocommunicatewiththecountry’sleaders.Isaid,whenIreachDelhi,Iwilltellyourdreamtotheleadersandyourdreamwillcometrue.IlaternarratedthistothePrimeMinister.Heconcededthepointandsaid,

‘Childrendon’ttalktomeanymore.Maybethesecuritycordonhascreatedaseparation.’Irequestourleadersindifferentfieldstointeractmorewiththechildrenofthecountryforabetterunderstandingoftheirownpurposeinlifeasalsoforhelpingcreateabetterfutureforourchildren.IhavevisitedJharkhandanumberoftimesafteritsformation.EverytimeI

visitit,Iamstruckbythetremendousresourcesthatwaittobeharnessedinthestate,whichwillmultiplyitswealthmanifold.AttheSriRamakrishnaHighSchool,Bokaro,Iaddressedagatheringofabout3,000studentsandsawtheircreativityondisplayinanexhibitionoftheirpaintings,toysandotheritemsmadebythem.Inmyconversationwiththem,onestudentaskedme,‘InJharkhand,itisgreeneverywhere.Wehaveforests,streamsandhills.WhyisitthatwehaveadesertinRajasthan?’ThequestionremindedmeofasimilaroneinAssam:Whycannotthe

Brahmaputra’swatersbetakentoTamilNaduandRajasthan?‘Youknow,twentyyearsago,youwouldnothaveseenmuchcultivationinRajasthan.ButoncetheIndiraGandhiCanalwasconstructedagriculturebecamepossibleinmanyplaces.Itispossibleformantotransformthedesertintoafertileland.’IrepeatedwhatIhadtoldthestudentinAssam.‘IthastobeoneofthegreatestmissionsofIndiatoconnectriverssothatwatercanreachmanywater-starvedstates.Visionaryactionisneeded.Whenyougrowupyouwillprobablybepartofreconstructingthisnationandgivingshapetothesethoughts.’Onechildcametomewithaseriousexpressionandasked,‘Sir,willyour

AgnimissilecrosstheoceanandreachAmerica?’Iwasalittlestartledbythisthought.‘Forusnocountryisourenemytosend

Agnithere.ParticularlyAmericaisourfriend.Agnisymbolizesourstrength.ItshowsthatIndiahasallthecapabilities.’

DuringmyvisittoCuttackIparticipatedinthebirthdaycelebrationsofthelateJusticeHariharMahapatra.IwentthereattheinvitationofJusticeRanganathMishra.Forme,itwasarevelation,howtheindependencemovement,thefirstvisionforthenation,hadcreatedthelarger-than-lifefigureofJusticeHariharMahapatra.Helivedtotheageofninety-twoandestablishedCuttackEyeHospital,UtkalUniversityandaboveallorganizedmulti-prongedeffortstoremovepoverty.MybiographyinOriyawasreleased.Attheendofmyspeechtheyoungsterscrowdingaroundputforthmanyquestions.Thefirstquestionwas,‘Sir,telluswhichareyourfavouritebooks,thatyou

lovedandwhichhaveshapedyourmind?’Isaid,‘Fourbooksinmylifehavebeenveryclosetomyheart.Icherish

readingthem.ThefirstisMantheUnknownbyDrAlexisCarrel,adoctor-turned-philosopherandaNobellaureate.Thisbookhighlightshowthemindandbodybothhavetobetreatedinanailmentasthetwoareintegrated.Youcannottreatoneandignoretheother.Inparticular,childrenwhodreamofbecomingdoctorsshouldreadthebook.Theywilllearnthatthehumanbodyisnotamechanicalsystem;itisaveryintelligentorganismwithamostintricateandsensitivefeedbacksystem.Thesecondbook,oneIvenerate,isTiruvalluvar’sThirukkural,whichprovidesanexcellentcodeoflife.ThethirdisLightfromManyLampsbyLillianEichlerWatsonwhichhastouchedmedeeply.Itilluminateshowweliveandhasbeenaninvaluableguidetomeforfiftyyears.AndtheHolyQuranis,ofcourse,aconstantcompanion.’WhileIwasaddressinganothergatheringofschoolchildreninAnand,

Gujarat,onesmartboyaskedaveryintelligentquestion:‘Whoisourenemy?’Ilikedthequestionandputittotheotherstudents,encouragingthemtocomeforwardwiththeirviews.Thencametheanswer,‘Poverty.’WhatawisereactionfromthisyoungchildwhomIhavementionedinthededication.Thelastquestion,whichIamincludinghere,camefromthepowerfulmindof

anotherchild.‘Tellme,sir,arePakistaniweaponsstrongerthanIndianones?’Iaskedthechildwhythisdoubtaroseinhismind.Reportshereadinthemedialedhimtothinkso,hesaid.‘Thisisauniquecharacteristicofourcountry–tobelittleourcapabilities.It

mayevenbegenetic!’Isaid.‘Indiacandesign,developandproduceanytypeofmissileandanytypeofnuclearweapon.Thisisacapabilityonlyfourcountries

intheworldhave.Youremoveallthedoubtsfromyourmind,’Itoldthechild,whogavemeaverysatisfiedlook.Ihaveselectedonlyelevenquestionsherefromamongthehundredsof

questionsIhavebeenaskedduringthecourseofmeeting40,000highschoolstudentssofar.Thequestionsreflectthechildren’sinnocence,butmostofalltheyshowhowstronglytheyfeelthedesiretoliveinastrongandprosperousnation.Ialsorealizedfromthesesessionshowimportantitisforthemtohaverolemodels,whetherinscience,industry,sports,entertainmentorsomeotherfield.Thequestionis:Canwegiveourchildrenarolemodel?Andhow?Atthedawnofthenewmillenniumcamethenewsthatthehumangenome

hadbeendecoded.Allthe30,000genesthathumanbeingscarrytoday,wearetold,areidenticaltothoseofourStoneAgeancestorswholivedthousandsofyearsago.Oneofthetraitsthathascomedowntousfromthem,alongwithothersthatareneededforsurvival,isthedesireforachievement.Itissaidthatnaturegaveusthisinstinctbecausetheneedtoachieve,likethe

needtoreproduce,theneedtoeat,theneedtodrinkandtheneedtobreathe,issimplytooimportanttobelefttochance.Historyshowsthehungerforachievementisahighlyevolvedoneandundoubtedlythestrongestone.Wetendtoforgetitbutitunderlinesmuchofourexperience.Mostimportant,withoutit,howwouldwelearnandgrow,aspiretogreaterperfection?IhaveseenDrVikramSarabhai’svisionsucceedingoverthreedecades

throughsustainedandcoordinatedachievement.Atworkinthatandanyotherendeavourwasthissamedesiretoexceedthelimits.Aswetryandexcel,rolemodelsplayaguidingrole.ThepowerofVikramSarabhaiwassuchthatotherstookuphisvisionandcompleteditlongafterhewasnomore.Foryouitcouldbesomeoneelsewhomyouadmire–asportsperson,ateacher,asuccessfulentrepreneur.Irecentlyhadthechancetomeetalegendarypersonality,arolemodelherself.

LataMangeshkarwaspresidingoverafunctioninremembranceofherfather,MasterDeenanathMangeshkar.LataMangeshkarisarecipientoftheBharatRatnaandIfelthonouredthatshehadaskedmetoinauguratethe450-bedDeenanathHospitalandResearchCentreinPune.Ivisitedthehospitaljustbeforetheinauguration.Ifoundthatitwouldbetreatingnearly30percentofthepatientsfree.Iwastouchedbythefactthatdespiteherwealthandfame,she

hadnotlostsightofthefactthatoneneedstodoallonecantohelprelievethesufferingofothers.Hersongsplayedovertheradiohavebroughtpleasuretocountlessheartsover

thedecades.DuringtheIndia—Chinaconflictin1962,hersong‘Aemerevatankelogo’movedanentirenation.Fewpeoplecanclaimtohaveinfluencedthelivesofmillionsinsuchadelightfulway.Rolemodelscanhelpusfocusonwhatiscorrectforusasindividuals,as

groupsand,ofcourse,asanation.Theycanalsoleadustogreatsuccess.Weseemtohavegotcarriedawaywiththesuccessofafewinthefieldofinformationtechnology.Butthatisindeednothingcomparedtowhatwecanandshouldachieve.AncientIndiawasaknowledgesocietyandaleaderinmanyintellectualpursuits,particularlyinthefieldsofmathematics,medicineandastronomy.Arenaissanceisimperativeforustoonceagainbecomeaknowledgesuperpowerratherthansimplyprovidingcheaplabourinareasofhightechnology.

SUMMARY

Anation’swealthistheyounggenerationofthecountry.Whentheygrowup,whocanbetherolemodels?Mother,fatherandelementaryschoolteachersplayaveryimportantpartasrolemodels.Whenthechildgrowsup,therolemodelswillbenationalleadersofqualityandintegrityineveryfieldincludingpolitics,thesciences,technologyandindustry.

3

VisionaryTeachersandScientists

Whateveryoucandoordreamyoucan,beginit.Boldnesshasgenius,powerandmagicinit.Beginitnow.

—Goethe

Thegreatmindsofthecountryhadtheabilitytomakeothersjointheirendeavourtoconvertdreamsintoreality.Forthem,thenationwasbiggerthanthemselvesandtheycoulddrawthousandstoactupontheirdreams.InDecember2000,Ihadparticipatedinthebirthcentenarycelebrationsof

AdhyapakaRathnaT.TotadriIyengar.IgraduatedinsciencefromStJoseph’sCollege,Tiruchirapalli(1954).AsayoungstudentIsawProf.T.TotadriIyengar–aunique,divine-lookingpersonality–walkingthroughthecollegecampuseverymorningandteachingmathematicstothestudentsofB.Sc.(Honours)andM.Sc.Thestudentslookedathimwithaweasonewouldataguru,whichindeedhewas.Whenhewalked,knowledgeradiatedallaround.Atthattime,‘Calculus’Srinivasanwasmymathematicsteacher.HeusedtotalkaboutProf.TotadriIyengarwithdeeprespectandwouldorganizeintegratedclassesforfirstyearB.Sc.(Honours)andfirstyearB.Sc.(Physics)tobetaughtbyhim.Ialsohadtheopportunitytoattendsomeoftheseclasses,particularlyonthesubjectsofmodernalgebraandstatistics.WhenwewereinfirstyearB.Sc.,‘Calculus’SrinivasanusedtopickthetoptenstudentsasmembersoftheMathematicsClubofStJoseph’swhereProf.TotadriIyengarusedtogivealectureseries.Oneday,in1952,hegavealectureonancientmathematiciansand

astronomersofIndia.Hespokefornearlyonehour.Thelecturestillringsinmyears.Letmesharewithyoumythoughtsaboutsomeancientmathematicians,glimpsesofwhomIsawinProf.TotadriIyengarinmyownway.

Aryabhata,borninAD476inKusumapura(nowcalledPatna),wasanastronomerandmathematician.Hewasreputedtobearepositoryofallthemathematicalknowledgeknownatthatpointoftime.Hewasonlytwenty-threeyearsoldwhenhewroteAryabhatiyamintwoparts.Thetextcoversarithmetic,algebraandtrigonometryand,ofcourse,astronomy.Hegaveformulaefortheareasofatriangleandacircleandattemptedtogivethevolumesofasphereandapyramid.Hewasthefirsttogiveanapproximationtopiastheratioofacircle’scircumferenceanddiameter,arrivingatthevalueof3.1416.Tocelebratethisgreatastronomer,Indianameditsfirstsatellitelaunchedin1975Aryabhata.BrahmaguptawasborninAD598atBillamalainRajasthanintheempireof

Harsha.HewrotetheBrahmaSphutaSiddhantaattheageofthirty.Heupdatedworksofastronomy.Hecoveredprogressionsandgeometry.Healsostudiedandgavewhatisknownasthesolutionofindeterminateequationsofdifferentdegreesaswellassolutionstoquadraticequations.Bhaskaracharyawasanotheruniqueintellectualofhistime.Hewasbornin

AD1114atVijjalbada,locatedatwhatisnowtheborderofKarnatakaandMaharashtra.HewrotethefamousSiddhanthasiromaniinfourchapters.HedealtwithastronomyandalgebraandisknowntobethefirstrecognizedmathematicianwhoevolvedvaluetozerofromtheconceptbasedonAryabhata’sdiscovery.Tohonourhim,ISRO’ssecondseriesofsatelliteswasnamedBhaskaraIandII(1979and1981).TheworkofthesethreemathematiciansofIndiaprovidesthecontextof

AlbertEinstein’sremarkthat‘WeowealottotheIndianswhotaughtushowtocount,withoutwhichnoworthwhilescientificdiscoverycouldhavebeenmade.’Thencomestomymindthegreatestofallgeniuseseverknownand

acknowledged,andwholivedwithinourpresentmemory–SrinivasaRamanujan.Helivedonlyforthirty-threeyears(1887—1920)andhadnopracticalformaleducationormeansofliving.Yet,hisinexhaustiblespiritandloveforhissubjectenabledhimtomakeavastcontributiontomathematicalresearchandsomeofhiscontributionsarestillunderseriousstudy,engagingtheeffortsofmathematicianstoestablishformalproofs.RamanujanwasauniqueIndiangeniuswhocouldmelttheheartofasrigorousamathematicianasProf.G.H.HardyofTrinityCollege,Cambridge.Infact,itisnotanexaggerationtosaythatitwasHardywhodiscoveredRamanujanfortheworld.Whydonotour

reputedscientistslocateanotherRamanujaninourschools?Ohmyfriendswhydon’tyouineveryfieldintegrateandgrowinsteadofdifferentiating!‘EveryintegerisapersonalfriendofRamanujan,’oneofthetributesto

Ramanujansaidanditwasnoexaggeration.Prof.Hardy,whileratinggeniusesonascaleof100,putmostofthemintherangeofaround30,givingaratingof60totherareexception.However,forRamanujan,hesuggested,onlythevalueof100wouldfit.TherecanbenobettertributetoeitherRamanujanortotheIndianheritage.Ramanujan’sworkcoversvastareasincludingprimenumbers,hypergeometricseries,modularfunctions,ellipticfunctions,mockthetafunctions,evenmagicsquares,apartfromsomeseriousworkonthegeometryofellipses,squaringthecircleandsoon.Ihopethateminentteacherswhoteachandinspiretheyoungstudentsof

mathematicswillcontinuetheirunmatchedandnobleservicesintheyearstocome,thusensuringthemarchofIndianbrillianceinthisfield.Prof.S.Chandrasekhar,theastrophysicist,continuedtheIndianmathematicstraditioninhisworkabroad.Ofcoursemathematicsisuniversal.NowthetraditionwillfurtherblossomwiththeeffortsofProf.C.S.Seshadri,Prof.J.V.Narlikar,Prof.M.S.Narasimhan,Prof.S.R.S.Varadhan,Prof.M.S.Raghunathan,Prof.NarenderKarmakarandProf.AshokSen,amongothers.SirC.V.RamanstartedhiscareerintheOfficeoftheAccountantGeneral,

Calcutta.Butthescientistinhimwouldnotlethimrestandhewasalwaysprobingforanswerstosomeoftheproblemsthatinterestedhim.Fortunately,hewassupportedbythegreateducationistAshutoshMukherjee,whoencouragedSirC.V.Ramantopursuehisresearch.ItisnoteworthythattheRamanEffect,thediscoveryofwhichbroughthimtheNobelPrize,didnotcomeoutofagrandestablishmentsetupatvastexpense.IbelievetheurgetoshowtotheworldtheexcellenceofIndianmindswouldhavebeenamajormotivatingfactorforSirC.V.Raman.ThesameisthecasewithProf.S.Chandrasekhar,alsoaNobellaureateforhisworkonblackholes.TherearesomeinterestingstatementsinhisbiographyChandrabyKameshwarC.Wali.Asitpointsout,‘Chandragrewupinwhatwasagoldenageforscience,artandliteratureinIndia,spurredonpartlybythestruggleforindependence.J.C.Bose,C.V.Raman,MeghnadSaha,SrinivasaRamanujan,andRabindranathTagore,bytheirachievementsinscientificandcreativeendeavours,becamenationalheroesalongwithJawaharlal

Nehru,MahatmaGandhi,andahostofothers…’Possibly,theirgreatsuccesshelpedproduceanatmosphereofcreativity.Howsoeveritmaybe,itisworthnoting,asChandrasekharobserved,‘thatinthemodernerabefore1910,therewereno(Indian)scientistsofinternationalreputationorstanding.Between1920and1925,wehadsuddenlyfiveorsixinternationallywell-knownmen.Imyselfhaveassociatedthisremarkablephenomenonwiththeneedforself-expression,whichbecameadominantmotiveamongtheyoungduringthenationalmovement.Itwasapartofthenationalmovementtoassertoneself.Indiawasasubjectcountry,but…particularlyinscience,wecouldshowtheWestintheirownrealmthatwewereequaltothem’.HereIwouldliketoquoteSirC.V.Raman,whosaidin1969whileaddressing

younggraduates,‘Iwouldliketotelltheyoungmenandwomenbeforemenottolosehopeandcourage.Successcanonlycometoyoubycourageousdevotiontothetasklyinginfrontofyou.IcanassertwithoutfearofcontradictionthatthequalityoftheIndianmindisequaltothequalityofanyTeutonic,NordicorAnglo-Saxonmind.Whatwelackisperhapscourage,whatwelackisperhapsdrivingforce,whichtakesoneanywhere.Wehave,Ithink,developedaninferioritycomplex.IthinkwhatisneededinIndiatodayisthedestructionofthatdefeatistspirit.Weneedaspiritofvictory,aspiritthatwillcarryustoourrightfulplaceunderthesun,aspiritwhichcanrecognizethatwe,asinheritorsofaproudcivilization,areentitledtoourrightfulplaceonthisplanet.Ifthatindomitablespiritweretoarisenothingcanholdusfromachievingourrightfuldestiny.’Furtherafield,therewassimilarlytheemergenceofotherswhoweregreatin

theirrespectivefields.Interestingly,amusictrinityofgreatsaints,ThiagarajaSwamigal,MuthuswamyDeekshidarandShyamaSastrigal,alsoemergedatthesametimeinsouthIndiawithina50-kmradius.Whatweshouldnoteisthatthemovementforindependencegeneratedthebestofleadersinarts,science,technology,economics,historyandliteraturewhostandwiththebestintheworld.Inmorerecenttimestoowehaveseentheemergenceofgreatvisionary

scientists.Particularly,Iwasinterestedinthelivesofthreescientists–DrD.S.Kothari,DrHomiJ.BhabhaandDrVikramSarabhai.Iwantedtolearnmoreabouttheirleadershipqualitiesinthescientificandtechnologicalfieldswhich

helpedlinkthesetothedevelopmentofthenation.Theyarethefoundersofthreegreatinstitutions–DRDO,DAE,ISRO.DrD.S.Kothari,aprofessoratDelhiUniversity,wasanoutstandingphysicist

andastrophysicist.Heiswellknownforionizationofmatterbypressureincoldcompactobjectslikeplanets.Thistheoryiscomplementarytotheepoch-makingtheoryofthermalionizationofhisguru,DrMeghnadSaha.DrD.S.KotharisetascientifictraditioninIndiandefencetaskswhenhebecameScientificAdvisertoDefenceMinisterin1948.ThefirstthinghedidwastoestablishtheDefenceScienceCentretodoresearchinelectronicmaterials,nuclearmedicineandballisticscience.HeisconsideredthearchitectofdefencescienceinIndia.WearecelebratingthisgreatmindthrougharesearchchairattheIndianInstituteofScience.DrBhabhadidresearchintheoreticalphysicsatCambridgeUniversity.From

1930to1939,HomiBhabhacarriedoutresearchrelatingtocosmicradiation.In1939,hejoinedSirC.V.RamanatIISc,Bangalore.Later,hefoundedtheTataInstituteofFundamentalResearchwithfocusonnuclearandmathematicalsciences.HeestablishedtheAtomicEnergyCommissionin1948.Hisvisionledtothesettingupofnumerouscentresinthefieldofnuclearscienceandtechnology,suchasthoseforproducingnuclearpower,orforresearchinnuclearmedicine.Thesescienceinstitutionsgeneratedfurthertechnologicalcentreskeepingnuclearscienceasthevitalcomponent.DrSarabhai,theyoungestofthethree,hadworkedwithSirC.V.Ramanin

experimentalcosmicrays.HeestablishedthePhysicalResearchLaboratoryatAhmedabadwithspaceresearchasthefocus.In1963,ThumbaEquatorialRocketLaunchingStation(TERLS)beganlaunchingsoundingrocketsforatmosphericresearch.DrSarabhaiestablishedtheSpaceScience&TechnologyCentre(SSTC)andwasitsdirector.HisvisionledtotheestablishmentofISROwithitsalliedcentresresponsiblefordevelopmentoflaunchvehicles,satellites,missionmanagementandapplications.ThesethreeIndianscientists,allofthemphysicists,startedphysicsresearch

institutionsthatblossomedintodefencetechnology,nucleartechnologyandspacetechnology,whichnowemploy20,000scientistsincentresspreadaroundthecountry.OnethingInotedwasthatallthreerealizedtheimportanceofmakingthepoliticalleadershipunderstandwhatsciencecoulddoforthecountry.

Itisessentialthattechnologiesthatgiveimmediatebenefitstothepeoplebetakenupforimplementationbythesystemregardlessofwhichpartyisinpower.Anotherimportantmessageconveyedbythesescientistsisthatbasicscienceisvitalforgrowthoftechnologyandfordevelopingnewleadersinscience.Letuslearnfromthemtheprovenqualitiesofleadershiptovaluescienceandtechnologyinanintegratedway.In1962,DrSarabhaiandDrBhabhawerelookingforasitetoestablishthe

spaceresearchstationintheequatorialregion.ThumbainKeralawasfoundmostsuitableasitwasneartheequatorialregionandwasideallysuitedforionosphericresearch.Thelocality,however,wasinhabitedbythousandsoffishermenlivinginthevillagesthere.ItalsohadabeautifulchurchcalledStMaryMagdaleneChurchandtheBishop’shouse.Assuch,theacquisitionofthelanddidnotmoveanyfurther.DrSarabhaimettheBishop,HisExcellencyRev.DrPeterBernardPereira,on

aSaturdayandrequestedtransferoftheproperty.TheBishopsmiledandaskedhimtomeethimthenextday.IntheSundaymorningservice,theBishoptoldthecongregation,‘Mychildren,IhaveafamousscientistwithmewhowantsourchurchandtheplaceIlivefortheworkofspacescienceandresearch.Scienceseekstruththatenricheshumanlife.Thehigherlevelofreligionisspirituality.ThespiritualpreachersseekthehelpoftheAlmightytobringpeacetohumanminds.Inshort,whatVikramisdoingandwhatIamdoingarethesame–bothscienceandspiritualityseektheAlmighty’sblessingsforhumanprosperityinmindandbody.Children,canwegivethemGod’sabodeforascientificmission?’Therewassilenceforawhilefollowedbyahearty‘Amen’fromthecongregationwhichmadethewholechurchreverberate.ItwasindeedagreatexperienceworkingwithDrSarabhaifrom1963to1971.

Asayoungengineerengagedinthetasksofcompositetechnology,explosivesystemsandrocketengineeringsystemsattheThiruvananthapuramspacecentreIdrewtremendousenergyfromhisleadership.Thoughthenationwasinitstechnologicalinfancy,DrSarabhaiwasdreamingofdevelopingourownsatellitelaunchvehicles.ThesewouldbeusedtolaunchfromIndiansoilremotesensingsatellitesinsun-synchronousorbitandcommunicationsatellitesingeosynchronousorbit.Today,hisvisionisalmostrealizedwiththelaunchoftheGeosynchronousLaunchVehicle(GSLV).ISROhasalsooperationalizedthe

IRSandINSATsystems,therebybringingthebenefitsofspacetothecommonman.ThereisanexperienceIwouldliketosharewithyouinrelationtoDr

Sarabhai’svisionforspaceprogrammes.IwrotebrieflyinWingsofFireaboutthisepisode.ThedesignprojectofIndia’sfirstsatellitelaunchvehicle(SLV-3)wastakenupattheVikramSarabhaiSpaceCentre(VSSC).Thedesignofeachstageofrocket,heatshieldandguidancesystemwasgiventoselectedprojectleaders.IwasgiventhedesignprojectofthefourthstageofSLV-3,thatis,theupperstagerocket,whichwouldgivethefinalvelocitytoputRohiniintoorbit.Thisfourthstageusesanadvancedcompositematerialthatprovideshighstrengthwithminimumweight.Italsohasmaximumloadingofhighenergysolidpropellant.Whileweweredevelopingthedesignofthisupperstagein1970,IreceivedacallfromDrSarabhaifromAhmedabadstatingthathewouldbevisitingThiruvananthapuramalongwithProf.HubertCurien,chairmanofCNES,theFrenchspaceagency.IwasaskedtogiveapresentationaboutthefourthstagetoProf.Curien’steam.Whenthepresentationwasover,werealizedthattheSLV-3fourthstagewasalsobeingconsideredasupperstagefortheFrenchDiamontP-4launchvehicle.TheCNESneededanapogeerocketmotornearlydoublethepropellantweightandalsosizeofthestagethatwehaddesigned.Adecisionwasthentakeninthesamemeetingthatthefourthstageshouldbe

reconfiguredtomatchandsuitbothDiamontP-4andSLV-3.Imentionthisepisodebecauseatthetimethisdecisionwastaken,weourselveswereinthedesignstage!SuchwasDrSarabhai’sconfidenceintheIndianscientificcommunity.DevelopmentworkonthisstagestartedaheadoftheotherstagesofSLV-3.Withourmotivationthusboosted,workproceededinfullswing.Aseriesofreviewstookplacebetweenthetwoteamsandthefourthstagegraduatedfromdrawingboardtodevelopingstage.Unfortunatelyin1971,DrSarabhaipassedaway,andatthesametimetheFrenchgovernmentcalledofftheDiamontP-4programme.Oncethefourthstagewasdevelopedandaseriesoftestswasgoingon,anew

requirementappearedonthehorizon,intheformofIndiabuildingasmallcommunicationsatellitetobelaunchedbytheEuropeanArianelaunchvehicle.FortheAPPLE–ArianePassengerPayloadExperiment–communicationsatellite,

theSLV-3fourthstageprovedaperfectfitanditwasincludedinthepayloadoftheArianelaunchin1981fromKourou,FrenchGuiana.Thevisionseededin1970byDrVikramSarabhaiwasindeedrealizedwhenAPPLEwasplacedingeostationaryorbitandstartedcommunicatingwithourearthstations.APPLE’ssuccessprovedthatavisionwithcommittedscientificsupportwillachieveitsaim.Thisachievementcameasafantasticfilliptotherockettechnologistsinthecountry.Thevisionarymaynotbewithustodaybuthisvisiongetsrealized.ThedreamofDrSarabhaiwasshapedintorealitybyProf.SatishDhawan.

AfterhetookchargeofISROfrom1972,Prof.DhawanstructuredandnurturedISROwithaspaceprofileandhisworkledtomanysignificantaccomplishmentsandbenefitsfromanumberofremotesensingandcommunicationsatellites.ThePolarSatelliteLaunchVehicleaccomplishedthefeatoflaunchingmultiplesatellitesforIndiaandothercountries,injectingthemindifferentorbitsinasinglemission.IlearnedanimportantlessoninmanagementfromProf.DhawanwhenIwas

appointedProjectDirectorSLV-3in1972todesign,developandlaunchthefirstsatellitelaunchvehicletoinjectRohiniintonearearthorbit.ThiswasthatwhenaProjectDirectorisappointed,thewholeorganization–includingtheChairmanISRO–worksforhissuccess.ItisalessonthathasbeenofabidingvalueallthroughtheotherprojectsIhaveworkedon.TheotherthingIhavelearntaftermorethanfortyyearsofworkinginthreedepartmentsinvariousprojectsandprogrammesisthatyouwillsucceedasaprojectleaderaslongasyourememberthattheprojectisbiggerthanyou.Wherevertheprojectleadertriestomakehimselfouttobebiggerthantheproject,theenterprisesuffers.IrecallmyworkingatISROHeadquarters,Bangalore,asDirector,Launch

VehicleProgrammes/Systems,intheearly1980s,whenweweredebatingtheperformanceandcost-effectivenessoflaunchvehicles.In1981,thescientistsofVSSC,Thiruvananthapuram,withthehelpofotherISROcentres,evolvedaconfigurationofthePSLVcorevehiclewithtwolargestrap-onboosters.ThePSLVweighedabout400tonnesattake-off.Prof.Dhawanwantedtostudyanalternativeandsimpleconfiguration.Iandsomeofmycolleagues,A.SivathanuPillai,N.SundararajanandK.PadmanabhaMenon,carriedoutmission,technologyandfeasibilitystudiesfortheoptimalconfiguration.Theteamdesignedseveraloptions,includingauniquecorevehiclewithanadvancedsolid

propellantbooster,usingfirststagerocketsofSLV-3asstrap-ons.ThisbroughtthePSLVweightdowntoonlyabout275tonnesattake-off.Prof.Dhawanusedtocomealmostdailytomysmallroom,whichwasclosetohisoffice,anddebatethepossibleconfigurationchoice.Hewashimselfaforemostaerodynamicspecialistwithmathematicsandsystemengineeringbackground,andwouldillustratehisideasontheblackboardandaskustodomorehomework.WealsostudiedthegrowthopportunitiesofPSLVwithcryogenicupperstageasaGSLVandthepossibilityoflaunchingdue-eastgeosynchronousmissions.Prof.DhawanputthetwomostfavouredconfigurationsupfordiscussionamongtheexpertsandtheISROteams.Detailedexaminationanddebate,takingthelong-termplansintoaccount,tookplaceandtheychosethePSLVconfigurationasproposedbymylaunchvehicleteam.Prof.DhawanconsideredthefuturescenarioofoperationalizationofPSLVandGSLV,bearinginmindthesatellitesandapplicationprogrammes,anddecidedonthisuniqueconfigurationandevolvedtheroadmapforISROforthenextfifteenyears.IandProf.Narasimhabroughtoutabook,DevelopmentinFluidMechanicsandSpaceTechnology,withProf.Dhawan’shandwrittenfifteen-yearspaceprofile,basedonthechosenPSLVconfiguration.Amemorabledayformeis31May1982.Prof.Dhawangavemeasend-offin

anunconventionalway.HecalledanISROcouncilmeetingtodiscussthefuturelaunchvehicleprogramme.ImadeapresentationtothedirectorsoftheISROcentresonperformanceandcost-effectivenessofourlaunchvehiclesandthegrowthprofile.Afterthepresentation,Prof.DhawanbrokethenewsthathehadgivenmetoDRDO.Thisdecisionindeedgavemeachangethatledtoprogressinadifferentfield.Weseetodayself-relianceinlaunchvehicletechnologywithPSLV

operationalandGSLVgettingreadytobeoperationalized.Thisisclosetothedirectionenvisagedintheearly1980sbyProf.Dhawan.TherecognitionofISROasasuccessfulorganizationwasduetothestrongfoundationandspaceprofileenvisionedbyhim.Onetestofleadershipisalsohowwellsuccessorsareabletocarryforwardaprogramme.AtISRO,Prof.U.R.RaoandDrK.Kasturiranganbroughtfurthersuccessandglorytotheorganization.AfterhisretirementProf.DhawancontinuedasamemberoftheSpaceCommissionandinthatcapacitycontinuedtohelptheorganizationwhichhebuilt.Remarkably,

Prof.Dhawansawthespacemissionsenvisionedbyhimcomeintobeinginhislifetime.Healsosawinhislifetimemanyofthosehehadtutoredemergeasstrongtechnologyleadersthemselveswhohavecontributedimmeasurablytothecountry.Whatagreatpersonalityhewas!AfterjoiningtheDRDO,Istartedthemissiledevelopmentprogrammethere.

DuringtheIntegratedGuidedMissileDevelopmentProgramme(IGMDP),thefocuswastodesignmissileswithstate-of-theartperformanceatthetimeofdeployment.Thesurface-to-surfacemissilePrithvibecamethebestinitsclassandusers’delightwithitshighaccuracy,reliableperformanceandthemanoeuvrabletrajectories.ThefirststageofSLV-3becamehandytoconfigureAgniasalong-rangedeterrent.ItblossomedfromtheREX(Re-EntryeXperiment)programmeconceivedbymyteamin1981.BothPrithviandAgniareinproductionandinductionphase.Trishul,whichisasurface-to-airmissile,andAkash,oncedevelopmentiscomplete,willbecontemporarymissiles.Thethirdgenerationanti-tankNagwilldominateasoneofthebestsuchmissiles.Inanyaerospaceormissiledevelopmentprogramme,delaysarepossibleowingtothetechnicalcomplexityofthework.Butthisshouldnotdeterus.ThepropagandaofforeignsellersandtheirassociatesinIndiashouldnotdictateIndia’sprocurementdecisions.Myexperienceindealingwiththenetworkofinstitutionsthathasbeenestablishedisthatourcountryhastremendouspotentialtodevelopthebesttechnologiesinthisfield.IndiacouldcombattheMTCRveryeffectively,therebyprovingtothosewhowantedustofailthat‘wecandoit’.OncewehaddevelopedcompetenceinthedesignofmissilesystemsIlooked

beyondtheIGMDP.Thenaturalcourseofactionappearedtobethesupersoniccruisemissile,whichisessentialintacticalwarfare.Manycountrieshavecruisemissiles,buttheyflyatsubsonicspeed.OurassociationwithoneoftheRussianinstitutes,NPOMashinostroyenia,developedintoapartnershipinthejointdesignanddevelopmentofsupersoniccruisemissilesystem.Thispartnershipisbaseduponfriendshipandequalcompetencies.IrecallmyassociationwithDrH.A.Yefremov,DirectorGeneralofNPO

Mashinostroyenia,anoutstandingscientistofourtime,whohaddevelopedseventypesofcruisemissilesandinductedthesystemsintheRussianNavy.CreatingajointventurebetweenIndiaandRussiainhigh-technologyprojectsintheprevailingsituationinthe1990sbecameacomplexquestionandachallenge

tobothDrYefremovandme.WheneverImetDrYefremov,IgotthefeelingofmeetingagreatscientistlikeProf.SatishDhawanorDrWernerVonBraun,thefatherofrocketry.DrYefremovtookmetohistechnologycentreswhicharenotnormallyshowntoanyforeigner.HetrulytreatedmeasafriendandarrangedanIndianlunchinhislaboratory.ItookhimtotheResearchCentreImarat,anadvancedmissiletechnologycentreatHyderabad.Hewasgenuinelypleasedtoseethestrideswehadmade.Ourscientificmindsmergedandourfriendshipblossomed.WechristenedthejointventureasBrahMos,acombinationofthenamesoftworivers,theBrahmaputraandtheMoscow.SivathanuPillai,Ramanathan,VenugopalanandVice-AdmiralBharatBhushan,alongwiththeRussianspecialists,gaveshapetothejointventure.SivathanuPillaiwasthenaturalchoiceastheChiefExecutiveOfficerandManagingDirectorofthejointventure,concurrentlyholdingchargeinDRDOasChiefControllerR&Dformissiles.Thedualrole,anexceptionaldecisionofthegovernment,wasessentialtoensurethesuccessofthisventure.Venugopalan,anoutstandingpropulsionscientistfromtheDefenceResearch&DevelopmentLaboratory(DRDL),becametheProjectDirector.Anewkindofjointventurecameintoexistence,onewhichbridgedthescientificcommunityandindustryofthetwocountriesindesign,development,productionandmarketingofanadvancedtechnologyweapon.Itwasasourceofgreatjoyforme,asitwasforthetwoteams.ThefirstflightofBrahMoson12June2001fromtheInterimTestRange,Chandipur,wasamilestonesignallingtheprogressofthejointventure.Thesecondflight,on28April2002,confirmedtheresultsofthefirstandcameasagreatencouragementtooureffort.DrYefremovandIaregladthatbothIndiaandRussiahaverealizedthatthis

jointventureistherightwaytobridgetwofriendlynationsforbuildinghigh-technologyweaponsystemsthatcouldentertheworldmarketMydreamofmarketinganadvancedweaponsystemaheadoftheso-calleddevelopedcountrieswillcometruethroughBrahMos,eventhoughIamawayfromthescene.TheteamthatIbuilthasperformedcreditably.Iamhappy.IreadabooktitledAnUnfinishedDreambythemilkmanofIndia,Dr

VergheseKurien.Hesaysinthebook,‘ItwasbychancethatIbecameadairyman.’ButaBritishexpert’scriticism,‘ThesewerwaterofLondonisbacteriologicallysuperiortothemilkofBombay,’servedasachallengetothe

youngKurien,whohastakendairyingfromstrengthtostrengthoverthedecadessothattodayIndiaisafront-rankerinmilkproduction.OnavisittoAnandIhadtheopportunitytospendadaywithhim.AsIwent

aroundtheAmulestablishment,Isawvalueadditionatwork.Frommilkthecooperativehasbranchedofftomakingnumerousderivatives,includingbutter,cheeseandice-cream.Theseinitiativeshavegivenitthestrengthtobeamajorplayerinahighlycompetitivemarket.WhenIaskedhimwhat,inhisview,wasonesurewayoflaunchingthecountryonagrowthtrajectory,hisanswerwas:‘Youmustbuildontheresourcesrepresentedbyouryoungprofessionalsandbyournation’sfarmers.Withouttheirinvolvementwecannotsucceed.Withtheirinvolvementwecannotfail.’Whiletalkingaboutscientists,Irecallmymeetingwithamedicalspecialist,

Prof.KakarlaSubbaRao,attheIndo-AmericanCancerInstituteatHyderabad.Iaskedhimifcancerwassomeunmitigatedcurse.Yesandno,saidtheseventy-seven-year-oldAlbertEinsteinProfessorofRadiology.Yes,becausewegeneticallyinheritcertaintraitswhichmakeusvulnerabletocancer.No,becausewhetherwegetitorescapeitdependslargelyonourimmuneresponse.ResearchintohowthebraincaninfluenceimmuneresponsehasgivenrisetothenewfieldcalledPsycho-Neuro-Immunology(PNI).Findingsinthisfieldhavebroughtgreathopetopeopledealingwithsuchdifficultillnessesascancer,AIDS,CFIDS(ChronicFatigueImmuneDysfunctionSyndrome)andotherimmune-system-relateddiseases.OtherfieldsofresearchincludePsycho-Neuro-Cardiology(PNC),thestudyofthemind—heartconnection,orPsycho-Neuro-Haematology(PNH),thestudyofhowthemindcaninfluenceblood-relateddisorders,suchasclottingproblemsinhaemophilia.Suchisthepowerofthought!Thesearediseaseswhichnormallyrequireintensivetreatment.Butevenhere,

medicineacknowledgesthatourmindscanplayamajorrole.

SUMMARY

Visionignitestheminds.IndianeedsvisionariesofthestatureofJ.R.D.Tata,VikramSarabhai,SatishDhawanandDrVergheseKurien,tonameafew,who

caninvolveanentiregenerationinmission-drivenprogrammeswhichbenefitthecountryasawhole.

4

LearningFromSaintsandSeers

Forthesocietytoprospertherearetwoimportantneeds.Theyare:prosperitythroughwealthgenerationandcherishingthevaluesystemofthepeople.ThecombinationofthetwowillmaketheNationtrulystrongandprosperous.

Ialwaystelltheyoungtodream.Thismessagecomesfromtheunderstandingthateachoneofushaswithinourselvestheabilitytocreatethecircumstancesforsuccess–toattract,sotosay,toourselveswhatwedesire.WhenasachildEinsteinfirstsawacompasshewasfascinatedbythewaytheneedlemovedwheneverhechangeddirection.Watchingtheneedlebecameanobsessionwithhimashetriedtounderstandtheinvisibleforcethatmovedthecompassneedle.Wherewastheforcelocated?Whocontrolledit?Whydiditalwayswork?Whatwasitmadeof?Werethereplaceswhereitdidn’toperate?Itisofcoursethemagneticenergyoftheearththatkeepspullingthecompassneedle,atinymagnet,alongthenorth—southaxisoftheearth’smagneticfield.Butisthatallthereistoit?Wecaneasilyseethemagneticfieldatwork,butcannotdetectitwithour

senses,eventhoughitiseverywhereonourplanet.Logicallythen,itisinusalso.Similarly,ourplanetisinaperpetualstateofmotionasitgoesspinning

throughspace.Everythingontheplanetisapartofthismovement,eventhoughitappearstousthatwearemotionless.Iamontheplanetandthuspartoftheenergythatmovesit.Theenergythatistheveryessenceoftheplanetisinme.Dyerarguesthatwecanusethisuniversalenergytobringtoustheobjectsof

ourdesire,becausewhatwedesireisalsoinusandviceversa.Itbecomesamatterofalignmentandwillthatallowsustotapintothisforce.

Withthoughtsliketheseonthepointswherescienceandspiritualismconverge,Icarvedoutopportunitiestovisitafewuniqueplacesinayear’stime.MostoftheseplaceswerenewtomeandofferedmethechancetolearnmoreaboutcertainthingsIhadalwaysbeeninterestedinbutcouldnotexplore–suchastheworldofsaintsandseers.IsawadiverserangeofactivitiesbeingcarriedoutinthespiritualcentresIvisited.Atone,itwasthevalue-basededucationbeingprovidedthatimpressedme.Atanotherplace,anattemptwasbeingmadetointegrateancientsciencewithmodernandSanskritdocumentswerebeingstudiedtogaugetheprogressmadeinearliertimes.IsawhowaSufisaintcouldbecomeamagnetforpeopleofdifferentfaiths.Ihadanextendeddiscussiononthefusionofscienceandspiritualitywithaguru.Isawhowapunyaatmacangobeyondprovidingreligiousstrengthtosettinguphospitalsanduniversities,asalsoaschemeforsupplyofwater.Therewasoneplacewhichseekstoalleviatethedistressofpatientswhoaresufferingfromterminalcancer.Anothercentrewasexploringthelinkbetweenmedicalscienceandmeditation.Myjourneystartedon13June2001,whenImetPramukhSwamiMaharajof

SwaminarayanSansthaatAhmedabad.MydiscussionwithSwamijionthefusionofscienceandspirituality,andtheroleitcouldplayinnationaldevelopment,wentonforanhour.IamtemptedtoreproduceverbatimthequestionsandanswerswithSwamiji.

AbdulKalam(AK):Swamiji,Indiahadthevision,since1857,tobeanindependentnation.Ittookninetyyearsforusasanationtogetfreedom.Duringthistimethewholenation–theyoungandold,richandpoor,educatedandilliterate–wastogetherinthisaim.Thegoalwasone,focussed,andwellunderstood–toacquireindependence.Swamiji,whatisorwhatcanbesuchavisionnow?Sincethelastfiftyyears,Indiahasbeenadevelopingcountry.Itmeanseconomicallyitisnotstrong,sociallyitisnotstable,insecurityaspectsitisnotself-reliant,andthatiswhyitiscalledadevelopingcountry.FivehundredmembersofTIFAC(TechnologyInformation,ForecastingandAssessmentCouncil)havegiventhoughttowhatshouldbethenextvisionforIndia.Howdowetransformadevelopingcountryintoadevelopedcountryinthenexttwentyyears?WehaveidentifiedfiveimportantareastotransformIndia–educationandhealthcare,agriculture,informationandcommunication,infrastructureand

criticaltechnology.Swamiji,ourproblemisthatwemaypresentthisbeforethegovernment,buthowdowecreatepeoplewithvaluestocarryoutsuchabigvision?Whatweneedisacadreofvalue-basedcitizens.Otherwiseresourceswillnotbedeployedeffectively,aswearewitnessing.Forthis,weneedyoursuggestion,Swamiji.

Swamiji:Alongwiththesefive,youneededasixthone–faithinGodanddevelopingpeoplethroughspirituality.Thisisveryimportant.Weneedtofirstgenerateamoralandspiritualatmosphere.Therehastobeachangeintoday’sclimateofcrimeandcorruption.WeneedpeoplewholivebythelawsofthescripturesandbearfaithinGod.Forthisweneedtorekindlebelief.Thiswillmakethingseasier.Ourproblemswillbesolvedandweshallbeabletoachievewhatwedream.

AK:Swamiji,forcarryingforwardsuchabigvisionoftransformingIndia,shouldwefirstcreateaspiritualtradition–makepeoplemorespirituallyinclined–andthenembarkuponourvision,orfocusononeoftheimportantareaslikeeducationorhealth?Orshouldweintegrateeverythingandbeginsimultaneously?

Swamiji:Wemustmoveaheadsimultaneously.Workinthefivefieldsthatyourteamhasidentifiedforthecountry’sprogressshouldbecontinuedandthisshouldbeconcurrentlyincorporated.OurcultureteachesustolearnbothPara(spiritual)andApara(worldly)vidya(knowledge).Therefore,togetherwithknowledgeoftheApara,oneshouldlearntheParaaswell.IfonelearnsthisthenAparavidya–worldlyknowledge–willbecomefoundedondharmaandspirituality.OnemustrememberthatinGod’sschemeofthings,thewholepurposebehindcreationistheideathateveryperson–everysoul–attainsbliss.

AK:Torealizethisgreatdream,threetypesofpeopleareneeded–punyaatma(virtuouspeople),punyaneta(virtuousleaders)andpunyaadhikari(virtuousofficers).Ifthepopulationofallthethreeweretoincreaseinoursociety,thenIndiawouldbecomethejagadguru(worldleader).Howcantheirnumbersbeincreased?

Swamiji:Togetherwithyouracademicandscientifictraining,givespiritualtraininginourschoolsandcolleges.Nowadays,spiritualeducationhasbeenremovedfromthesyllabiofschoolsandcolleges.Thatwhichshouldbetaughtfrominfancyisbeingneglectedandwecontinuetoprovideonlyacademicknowledge.Butfromthebeginning,rightfrombirth,peopleshouldbetaughtvalues,onlythenwillpeoplebecomevirtuous.Knowledgeofourscripturesandgreatsadhusandsagesshouldbeincludedinthesyllabus.Thesocial,spiritualandpoliticalleaderswhomweholdinrespectimbibedthecorrectvaluesfromtheverybeginning.Inthepast,suchvaluesweretaughtinourgurukulsystemofeducation.Whetheraprinceorapauper,everyonestudiedtogether.Alongwithacademics,lessonssuchassatyamvada(speakthetruth),dharmamchara(treadthepathofrighteousness),servicetowardsothersandfaithinGodweretaught.

AK:Swamiji,goodcitizenscannotbeproducedbythelawsofthegovernment.Canspiritualinstitutionsdoit?Canyouaskparentstoguidetheirchildrentolearntherightvaluesuptotheageoffifteen?Similarly,inallelementaryschools,teachersshouldalsoinstiltheseinthestudents.Butifwefailtodothis,thenthegovernmentcannotbyitselfproducegood,honestcitizens.Ismyunderstandingcorrect,Swamiji?

Swamiji:Yes,it’strue.It’sdefinitelytrue.We’vebeensayingfromtheverybeginningthatvaluesshouldbetaughtbyparentsathome,teachersatschool,andtheguruinlaterlife.

AK:Swamiji,whenIfirstlaunchedarocketitfailed,butstrengthenedbyISRO’ssupport,myteamcombatedthefailuretoachievesuccess.ThissentimentisalsoexpressedbyTiruvalluvarintheThirukkural–whenfailureoccurs,challengeitwithcheerfulattitude.

Swamiji:Whenonepossessessuchnoblethoughts,patriotismisbutnatural.That’swhywesay,ifspiritualknowledgeisgivenfromthebeginning,loveandprideforone’scountry,societyanddharmaisanaturalresult.However,spiritualvaluesshouldformthefoundationoflife.

AK:Spiritualstrengthisimportant.Andalongwiththis,wemusthaveeconomicstrengthforstrengthisrespectedintheworld.Acombinationofbothisnecessary.Andtoachieveboth,thereisonlyoneanswer–sweat!Hardworkisamust.

Swamiji:Weoftensay,‘HumaneffortandGod’sgrace.’Evenfailureofthefirstrocket,whichyoufaced,wasforyourgood,itproddedyoutomakethingsbetter.Godhasultimatelygivenyousuccess.

AK:ForIndia’sdevelopment,Iwishtoestablishatrust–Vision2020–withfivelike-mindedindividuals.Iseekyourblessingsforthis.

Swamiji:God’sblessingsarealreadyuponyou.Ishallpraythatyourideasaresuccessfullyrealized.MayIndiaprosperbothspirituallyandeconomically.WhatIwishtosayisthatthestrongerthespiritualwealth,thestrongerwillbecomeallotherformsofwealth.Ifyouincreasematerialwealthalone,manwillbelostinluxuryandworldlypleasures.Spiritualitywillguidehimback,helphimriseabovemundanepleasures.Inreality,werarelyprovidewhatisreallyneeded.Weprovideeverythingelse,clothing,food,shelter,butwithallthisweshouldalsoprovidespiritualwealth.Oneshouldrememberthatwhenmangainsextramoneyandpower,morethanwhatisnecessary,thenheinvitesruin,restlessnessanddestruction.Helosescontrol.

It’sgoodthatyou’vecomeheretoday.It’sgivenusmuchjoy.Therishis(sages)ofthepasthavealsogivenusscience.You,too,arearishi.

InSeptember2001,IvisitedtheDargahSharifofSufimysticKhwajaMoinuddinChishti,betterknownasGharibNawaz,atAjmer.Here,inAD1256,attheageof114,thesaintenteredhiscelltoprayinseclusionforsixdays,attheendofwhichhepassedaway.AsIwentroundthedargah,Iwasstruckbythebeautyofallthattheshrinesymbolized.Eighthundredyearsago,asainttravelledfromArabia,passingthroughmanylandsbeforereachingAjmer.Herehebroughttogetherdifferentcommunitieswholivedpeacefullyaroundhisshrine.

TheteachingsandmessageofKhwajaGharibNawazhavebeenofanexceptionalcharacter.Hissimpleteachingspenetratedevenastonyheart;hisaffectionatelookcouldsilencethefiercestenemy;hebroughtthemessageofuniversalloveandpeace.Chishtisufiswhosucceededhimcontinuedthetraditionsetbyhim.Theyweretrulythepioneersinnationalintegration.TheteachingsofKhwajaSahibhavebeenrecordedinseveralbooks.Forhim,

onewhopossessesthemagnanimityoftheriver,thekindnessofthesunandhumilityoftheearthisclosesttoGod.KhwajaSahibsaidthatthenoblestcharacterispossessedbyonewhoisgracefulinpoverty,contentinhunger,cheerfulingriefandfriendlyinhostility.Accordingtothisgreatsaint,thesurestwaytoavoidthepunishmentofhellistofeedthehungry,toredresstheaggrievedandtohelpthedistressed.KhwajaSahibgavearolemodelofAarif,onewhoconsidersdeathashisfriend,comfortashisenemyandalwaysremembersGod.AnAariffears,respectsandpossessesshyness.Whycan’tweconductourselvesasAarifs?Iwondered.Beforeanyaction,

askyourselfthisquestion:‘IswhatIamabouttosayordogoingtobringmepeace?’AsDyersays,iftheanswerisyes,proceedwholeheartedlywithitandyouwillbeallowingyourselfthewisdomofyourhighestself.Iftheanswerisno,becautiousofyouregothatisatwork.Theegopromotesturmoilbecauseitseparatesyoufromeveryone,includingGod.AtKhwajaSahib’sshrineIcouldlistentothevoicethatonlywantsyoutobeatpeacewithyourself.AjmerislocatedinthepicturesqueAravallirange.BesidestheDargahSharif

ithastheholylakeofPushkar.Thesetwoholyplacessymbolize,asitwere,theabidingamitybetweenthetwomajorreligionsofIndia.Ajmerpresentsamodelofapeacefulsociety.Iperformednamazasathanksgivingforthisamity.Thesceneremindedmeofthesimilarlocationoftwootherreligiouscentres,NagoreDargahandVelankannichurch.On2October2001IvisitedAmritanandamayee’sAmritaInstituteof

ComputerTechnologynearKollaminKeralawithProf.N.BalakrishnanoftheIISc.andG.MadhavanNair,Director,VSSC.Iaddressedabout1,000youngstudents,teachers,brahmacharisandswamis.ThetopicIselectedwas‘MultiDimensionsofKnowledgeProducts.’Ifoundinthestudentsahighlevelofreceptivitytonewideas.Intheirquestions,theyshowedinterestnotonlyin

technologicaldevelopmentbutalsoinadheringtoanhonestwayoflife.AftertheinteractionwiththestudentsImetAmma.Itwasaremarkableexperience.HowcanonetakeoneselfclosertoGodwasthemessageshewasgivingto

thepeople.Iwonderedattheextraordinaryeffortthathadgoneintosettingupaninstitutionwhichcouldbuildhospitals,setupmanagementschoolsofhighcalibre,andprovidehousingschemesfortheeconomicallyweakersectionsofsociety.MyqueryledtoadiscussionwithAmmaandtheothersanyasis.Thoughtheinstitutionimpartseducationinallmajordisciplinesofknowledgeandcreatesengineers,medicaldoctors,managementgraduatesandscienceresearchscholars,theyarestillcircumscribedbytheirindividualspecialization.Ammasuddenlysaid,‘Somethingismissing.Howtoconnect?’Whatshewasreferringtowasbringingtogetherthesecapabilitiesforajoint

purpose.IwasatChristCollege,Rajkot,gettingreadyforafunctiontherewhenthere

wasacallfromSwamiNikhileswaranandaoftheRamakrishnaMission.SwamijirequestedmetovisithisashramandIhadtoagree.AfterthefunctionatChristCollege,Irushedtotheashram.ItwasthetimefortheeveningbhajanandsotouchedwasIbythesingers’sereneinvocationthatIsatdownwiththemfornearlyfifteenminutes,lostinmeditation.HeretooIfeltthesamevibrationsasIdidwhilemeditatingatSwamiVivekanandaHall,Porbandar,thebirthplaceofMahatmaGandhi.On6October2001,theSankaracharyasofKanchiorganizedaveryimportant

gatheringoffarmersfromhundredsofvillagestolaunchintegrateddevelopmentthroughtheconceptofknowledge-empoweredruraldevelopment.Iwasinvitedtoparticipate.PanchayatheadsbelongingtovariouspoliticalpartiesconvergedatKanchitodiscussdevelopmentunderaprojectdesignedtoProvideUrbanfacilitiesinRuralAreas(PURA).Iwasstruckbythefactthatspiritualleaderswerehelpingfocusprogrammesfordevelopment.WhenthemeetingendedbothAcharyascalledmeforaprivatemeeting.

SwamiJayendraSaraswathigalinquiredaboutthecrashlandingofthehelicopterandblessedme.SwamiVijayendraSaraswathigalconveyedtomethatthemaulviofaveryfamous300-year-oldmosquewaswaitinginthemutttotakemetothemosque.SwamijisuggestedthatIvisitthemosque.

HismessagebroughttomymindanincidentinParamacharya’stime,adecadeago,astoldbytheformerPresident,R.Venkataraman.MrVenkataramanshowedmethemosqueveryclosetotheKanchimutt.Afewyearsago,themosquejamayath(authorities)andthedistrictauthoritiesdecidedtorelocatethemosquetosomeothersuitableplaceasitspresentlocationwasinconvenientbothforthemuttandmosque.Asalargenumberofpeoplevisitthehistoricmosqueandtherearehugegatheringsatthemutttoo,thetrafficwasbecomingdifficulttomanage.Themuttwouldrebuildthemosqueinitsnewlocation.SomehowthismessagereachedtheParamacharya.Hevehementlyopposedthewholeidea.Hesaid,‘Infact,whenat4.30a.m.thecallfornamazcomesfromthemosque,itactsasawake-upcallformydivineduties.’Andalsoformanyotherreasonshewasopposedtotherelocationofthemosque.Hemadethiscleartoboththedistrictauthoritiesandthemutt.TheParamacharyawentintomounavridham–deepsilence.Finally,shiftingofthemosquewasstopped.Ilaterwenttothemosqueandmetthemaulviandkaziandofferednamaz

there.AboutfiftystudentswerelearningtheHolyQuran.IsatwiththemandaskedthemtorecitetheAlhamthu,thesurathatembodiestheQuran.InKanchi,IwasprivilegedtoseevedicrecitationandrecitationsfromtheQuranproceedingsidebyside.ThereinliesthegreatnessandessenceofIndia.CanKanchi’sintegratedapproachtowardslearningbecomeabeaconforusandlaterfortheworld?DuringthediscussionintheSankaraCollegeofEngineeringamongSanskrit

professors,studentsandteachers,presidedoverbytheSankaracharyas,itbecameclearthatancientSanskritliteratureisastorehouseofscientificprinciplesandmethodology,eventotheextentoftherebeingtextsabouthowtobuildaviman(aeroplane).Subjectslikephysics,chemistry,medicineandayurvedaare,ofcourse,welldocumented.Therewasaconsensusthattheworkofourancientscholarsandscientistsshouldbethoroughlyexaminedandwherepossibleintegratedwithmodernscience.AninvitationcamefromtheSriSathyaSaiInstituteofHigherLearningat

WhitefieldforProf.RamaRaoandme.Thedaybeganwithamorningprayerat7.00followedbyadiscourserenderedinpoeticform.Itssubjectwashowtoremovehatredfromourhearts–bysacrificingtheegoandsubstitutingloveinits

place.WhenSaiBabamovedamidstthedevotees,theeffectofhishealingpresenceonpeople’spain,difficultiesandproblemswasimmediatelyapparent.InJanuary2002,IattendedaconferenceonMedicalTechnologyand

HealthcareatWhitefield.Allthroughtheconference,whichbeganat9.30inthemorningandendedat8intheevening,SriSathyaSaiBabawaspresent.HeblessedeverypresentationandwhenIfinishedmyfive-minutepresentationonhowtechnologywouldtransformhumanlife–anexamplebeingthecardiacstentthatwehadmade–hegotupandblessedme,tothecheersofparticipants.Iwasimpressedtoseehisinterestintheconference,asIhadbeenimpressed

bythespecialityhospitalatWhitefieldthatIhadvisitedearlier.HehadbeentoldthatChennaiwasfacingawaterproblem.So,whenheannouncedthathewouldensurewaterflowedtothecity,itwasmorehearteningstill.On3February2002,IhadanextraordinaryspiritualexperiencewhenIvisited

theBrahmaKumariSpiritualAcademyatMountAbu.ThedeityoftheBrahmaKumaris,ShivaBaba,descendedononeofthedisciples,DhadhiGurzar.Beforeoureyes,herpersonalitychanged.Herfacebecameradiant,hervoicebecamedeeperasshetalkedaboutthefourtreasures:Knowledge,Yoga,VirtueandService.We–I,SivathanuPillai,andSelvamurthy–wereluckytobecalledbyhertothedaisandblessed.Assheblessedusshesaid,‘Bharatwillbecomethemostbeautifullandonearth.’MyinteractionwiththeCoronaryArteryDisease(CAD)patients,popularly

knownas‘Dilwalas’,attheGlobalHospitalandResearchCentreoftheBrahmaKumariAcademyheadedbyDrPratapMidha,clearlyillustratedthatthemind—bodyinteraction,asubjectItoucheduponattheendofthepreviouschapter,isvitalforhealthwhichisdefinedasphysical,mentalandspiritualwell-being.MyfriendDrW.Selvamurthypostulatedthroughyearsofclinicalworkthatyogaandmeditationsignificantlyalleviatepain.Theexperiments,whichIhadtheopportunityofinitiatingthroughtheDefenceInstituteofPhysiology&AlliedSciences(DIPAS)whenIwasScientificAdvisertoDefenceMinister,includeanewapproachtowardshealingthroughmind—bodysynchrony.DrPratapMidhaandDrSelvamurthyjoinedtogetherandformulatedauniquetreatmentforcardiacpatients.WhenIreviewedthisproject,twoyearsback,aboutsixtypatientsreportedanimprovedsenseofwell-being.Now,ithasyieldedexcellentresultswith400patientsreportingprogress.Thetreatmentincludedlifestyle

interventionwithRajaYogameditationforstressmanagement,low-fathigh-fibredietforreducingriskofhyperlipidemiaandregularaerobicexerciseorwalkingtoimprovethecardio-vascularandmetabolicefficiency.Ihopethatmedicaltreatmentwillbegintolaygreateremphasisonhealingnotonlythebodybutalsothemind.DuringmypreviousvisittotheBrahmaKumariSpiritualAcademyatMount

Abu,SisterUshahadgivenmethetaskofinteractinginagroupdiscussionwiththirtyBrahmaKumariswhohadrecentlyjoined.Itwasapleasuretolookattheirbrightfacesbubblingwithenthusiasm.Inapost-dinnersessionwhenIaskedtheminturnabouttheirmissioninlife,thereplywasunanimous:toservethepeoplethroughspiritualendeavour.DrSelvamurthyandIweremovedtoreciteaTamilpoemcomposed1,000yearsagobyAwaiyarwhichintranslationreadsthus:

‘ItisraretobebornasahumanbeingItisstillmoreraretobebornwithoutanydeformityEvenifyouarebornwithoutanydeformityItisraretoacquireknowledgeandeducationEvenifonecouldacquireknowledgeandeducationItisstillraretodoofferingsandtapasButforonewhodoesofferingsandtapasThedoorsofheavenopentogreethim.’

IthennarratedtotheBrahmaKumarishowtheBishopatThumbaallowedtransferofthelandbelongingtothechurchforsettingupaspaceresearchstation(asgiveninchapterthreeofthisbook).Whatistheconclusiontobedrawnfromthisstory?Iaskedthem.TheBrahmaKumarisrespondedbysayingthatourcivilizationisrich,whichleadstoforwardthinking,harmonyandbetterunderstanding.Withsuchagreatnationandpeople,whyaretherecommunalclashes?Ithinkthatwhenanationdoesn’thaveavision,smallmindstakeoveritsaffairs.Theunificationofscienceandspiritualitywillbeessentialtotakethebenefit

ofscienceandtechnologytomankind.In1911,SriAurobindowroteintheSongofHumanity‘AtimewillcomewhentheIndianmindwillshakeoffthedarknessthathasfallenuponit,ceasetothinkorholdopinionsatsecondandthirdhandandreassertitsrighttojudgeandenquirewithperfectfreedomintothemeaningofitsowncultureandtradition.’

Thatisthefutureweneedtoworktowardsasweshakeofftheshacklesofpoverty.TherewasonemessagecommontoalltheplacesIvisited–thereisahigher

selfwithinyouthattranscendsthelimitationsofthephysicalworld.Ifeltthepresenceofthishigherselfinmyfather.Ihavelearnedovertheyearstomaintainmyequanimityregardlessof

circumstances.Ihavefacedfailuresanddisappointmentswithoutfeelingdefeated.Iwishtolivetherestofmylifeatpeacewithmyselfandothers.Ihavenowishtoengageinquarrelswithothers.Thisisthechallengebeforetheindividualashetriestotranscendhis

limitations.Atthispoint,IrecallasurafromtheHolyQuran.‘OProphet,youproclaimtothepeopleWhodonotacceptyourpreaching,Whatyouworship,Idonotworship,AndwhatIworship,youdonotworship;............................Theresultofyouractionsbelongstoyou,Theresultofmyactionsbelongstome.’

Whatweare,whatwebelievein,isoursalone.Oncewehavetrustinthewisdomthatcreatedus,wecandevelopafaiththatsustainsusthroughourlives.Indiansarewellversedwiththeconceptofhigherself,orperhapshighestself

isthepreferableterm.Forgenerationsourancestorslivedtheirlivesbythisconcept.Butformanytoday,rootedperhapstoodeeplyinthematerialworld,thisideasoundsloftyandspiritual.FormeithasbeenacornerstoneofthewayIlive.Ononeoccasion,asIwasleavingforBangalore,Ispoketoafriendofmine

andtoldhimthatIwouldbetalkingtoyoungpeopleandwhetherhehadanysuggestions.Hedidnotofferanysuggestionsassuch,butofferedmethesenuggetsofwisdom.

‘Whenyouspeak,speakthetruth;performwhenyoupromise;dischargeyourtrust…withholdyourhandsfromstriking,andfromtakingthatwhichisunlawfulandbad…‘Whatactionsaremostexcellent?Togladdentheheartofahumanbeing,tofeedthehungry,

tohelptheafflicted,tolightenthesorrowofthesorrowfulandtoremovethewrongsoftheinjured…

‘AllGod’screaturesareHisfamily;andheisthemostbelovedofGodwhotriestodomostgoodtoGod’screatures.’

ThesearethesayingsofProphetMohammad.MyfriendwhotoldmethisisagreatgrandsonofaDeekshidarofTamilNaduandgrandsonofaGanapathigal(vedicscholar).HeisnoneotherthanY.S.Rajan.Suchanoutlookispossibleonlyinourcountry.LetusremembertheRig

Veda:‘Aanobhadrahkratavoyenthuvishwathaha.’Thatis,‘Letnoblethoughtscometousfromeveryside.’Irecallaneventthattookplaceinmyfamily.Mygrandfatherand

greatgrandfatherwerecalledAmbalakarar–nobleleaders–inRameswaram.ThisislandhastheprivilegeofbeingknownastheplacewhereLordRamaissaidtohavelaunchedhiscampaignagainstRavana.TheislandcelebratesthiseventbyorganizinghismarriagewithSita–hisdivinecounterpart.MygreatgrandfatherwouldprovideafloatingplatformfortheoccasiontocarrythedecoratedvigrahathroughtheholytanknamedRamarTheertham.Thetankisverydeep.Thefloatingplatformwithvigraha,bedeckedwithbeautifulgoldornaments,ofLordRamaistakenroundasmallmandapaatthecentreofthetank.Thenandnow,allofRameswaramassemblesfortheoccasion.Oneyear,mygreatgrandfatherwaswitnessingtheeventwhenamishaptook

place.Thevigrahatoppleddownandsank.Withoutanyhesitationorprompting,hejumpedintothetankandrecoveredthevigrahaastheentiretownwatched.Thetemplepriestsinstitutedmuthalmariathai(firsthonour)forourfamily.TherewasaspecialprayerintheRameswarammosquetothanktheAlmightyfortherecoveryofthevigrahaandtobringGod’sgraceonourfamily.Ihavealwaysconsideredthisincidentasashiningexampleofhuman

brotherhoodandharmony,speciallysignificantintoday’scontext.Couldnoteachofushelpnurturesuchabrotherhoodwhereverwehappentobe?On15August1947,myhighschoolteacher,Rev.IyyaduraiSolomon,took

metohearthemidnightfreedomspeechofPanditJawaharlalNehru.Wewereallmovedtohearhimsaythatwewerefree.Bannerheadlinesannouncedthemomentouseventinnextday’snewspapers.ButalongsidethereportofPanditji’sspeechintheTamilnewspaperIread,wasanothernewsitem,onethathasbeenembeddedinmymemory.ItwasabouthowMahatmaGandhiwaswalkingbarefootinNoakhali,tohelpassuagethepainoftheriot-affected

familiesthere.Normally,asFatheroftheNation,MahatmaGandhishouldhavebeenontherampartsofRedFort,thefirstonetounfurlthenationalflag.Instead,hewasatNoakhali.SuchwastheMahatma’sgreatness,andwhataneverlastingimpactitleftonthemindofaschoolboy!Havingsensedthepulseoftheyoung,andarmedwiththewisdomofthe

elders,Ithoughtdeeplyaboutmyownexperienceswithtechnologyprojectswherepeopleworkedonproblemsthatwerenewanddemandedeffortsthatwereunprecedented.Whatreallymakesonesucceedinthefaceofdifficulttasks?Wehavetalkedabouttheimportanceofhavingadreamandofcommitment,ofhardworkandhavingthespiritualstrengthtoperseverethroughdifficultiesandfailures.Isthereanythingmissinginthecycleofcreation?

SUMMARY

Ourspiritualwisdomhasbeenourstrength.Wesurvivedasanationtheonslaughtsofinvadersandthenumbingeffectsofcolonialism.Wehavealsolearnttoadjusttotheriftsanddivisionsinourownsociety.Butintheprocessofalltheadjustment,wealsoloweredouraimsandexpectations.Wemustregainourbroadoutlookanddrawuponourheritageandwisdomtoenrichourlives.Thefactthatweadvancetechonologicallydoesnotprecludespiritualdevelopment.Weneedtohome-growourownmodelofdevelopmentbasedonourinherentstrengths.

5

PatriotismBeyondPoliticsandReligion

Idonotcareforliberation,Iwouldrathergotoahundredthousandhells,‘doinggoodtoothers(silently)likethespring’,thisismyreligion.

SwamiVivekananda

Walkinghasbeenanessentialpartofmylife.WhereverIgoImakeitapointtowalkfivekilometresinthemorning.Iamparticularlyattachedtoseeingthebeautyofthesunrise,thelightthatprecedesitsarrivalandmyearsaretunedtothesongsthatbirdssingtowelcomethedawningofanewdayonthisplanet.EachtimeIexperiencethesephenomena–thecoolbreeze,thesingingofthebirdsandthearrivalofthesun–IamfilledwithaweathownaturebringstogetheralltheelementsthatgointomakingthismomentpossibleandfeelthankfultoGod.Ihavebeenfortunateinthatmyworkhastakenmetoverymanybeautiful

placesthatopenedupmymindtothecosmicreality.OnesuchwasChandipurinOrissa.FromKolkata,thedistancetoBalasoreisaround234kmandChandipuris16

kmfromthetown.ThenamemeanstheabodeoftheGoddessChandiorDurga.ThebeachhereissurelyamongthefinestinIndia.Atlowtidethewaterrecedesthreekilometresasthetidesfollowtheirrhythmiccycle.Thelonelybeach,thewhisperingoftamarisktreesandthecoolbreezecreate

afeelingofextraordinarycalm.IusedtowalkonthebeachtothemouthoftheriverSuwarnarekha.Theriver’svastspreadandthebewitching,ceaselessripplesofitswaterwerehypnoticintheireffect.ItwasafeelingasclosetoblissasIhaveeverfelt.Westartedtest-firingourmissilesfromtheSriharikotaRangeofISRObut

neededourownmissiletestrange.TheInterimTestRange(ITR)was

establishedin1989asadedicatedrangeforlaunchingmissiles,rocketsandflighttestvehicles.Anumberofmissilesofdifferentclassincludingthemulti-roleTrishul,multi-targetcapableAkash,theanti-tankNagmissile,thesurface-to-surfacemissilePrithvi,andthelong-rangetechnologydemonstratorAgnihavebeentest-firedfromtheITR.BrahMos,theIndo-Russianjointventuresetuptodevelopsupersoniccruisemissiles,hasalsobeentestedatthisrange.TheITRhasalsosupportedanumberofothermissionssuchastestingofthemulti-barrelrocketlauncherPinakaandthepilotlessaircraftLakshya.TheITRhasalsobeenmadecapablefortestingairborneweaponsandsystems

withthehelpofsophisticatedinstrumentation.Thrustareasincludetrackinglong-rangemissiles,airdefencemissilesystems,weaponssystemsdeliveredbytheLightCombatAircraft(LCA),multi-targetweaponsystemsandhigh-accelerationmanoeuvrablemissiles.TheITRextends17kmalongtheseacoastwhereanumberoftracking

instrumentshavebeendeployedalongtheflightpathofthetestvehicles.SomeofthesignificanttestfacilitiesattheITRareamobileandfixedelectro-opticaltrackingsystem,mobileS-bandtrackingradar,fixedC-bandtrackingradar,fixedandmobiletelemetrysystem,rangecomputer,photoprocessingsystem,meteorologicalsystemandrangesafetysystems.Anexpertsystemhasbeendevelopedforaidingsafetydecisionsduringlaunch.TheITRisslowlybutsurelygrowingintoaworld-classrange.ItwasahotandhumidmidnightsometimeinJuly1995.Weweregoing

throughtheresultsofthefourthconsecutivesuccessfulflightofPrithvi.People’sfaceswerelitupwithsuccess.Therewasamoodofcelebration.Morethanthirtyofus,representing1,200hard-workingteammembers,wereponderingoverthequestion–whatnext?Lt.Gen.RameshKhosla,DirectorGeneralArtillery,suggestedthattheArmyneededaflighttestonalandrangewiththeaccuracyofimpactatthefinaldestinationwithin150meters.ThisiscalledCircularErrorProbability(CEP)intechnicalterms.WeopenedageographicalmapofIndia.Therewerefivetinydotsata

distanceof70to80kmfromITR.ThesearetheWheelerIslands.WecouldnotgototheRajasthandesertforobviousreasons.TheAndamanandNicobarIslandsarefaraway.At2.00a.m.wedecidedthatWheelerIslandsweretherightchoiceforthemissileimpacttest.Nowthesearchforasuitableislandstarted.A

helicopterwasusedtosurveythearea.Someoneproposedaskingthefishermentoguideustotheislands.Mytwocolleagues,SaraswatandSalwan,drovetoaplacecalledDhamra.

FromDhamra,theyhiredaboatforthedayforRs.250.Bythetimetheyreachedtheislanditwasalmostdark.Salwanhadcarriedfruitsforeatingduringthejourneybuttheseeventuallybecametheirdinner.Therewasnooptionbuttostayontheisland.Itwasabeautifulnightbutmyfriends,neitherfamiliarwiththeseanorusedtobeingmaroonedonadesertedisland,spentitratherfearfully–thoughtheywon’tconfessitandclaiminsteadthattheyenjoyedit.Earlythenextmorning,theybegantheirsurveyoftheisland,whichisabout3kmlongand800metreswide.Totheirsurprise,theysawontheeasternsideoftheislandaBangladeshflagflyingatopatreewithhutsnearby.Theislandwasprobablyfrequentedbyfishermenfromtheneighbouringcountry.Myfriendsquicklyremovedtheflag.Thingsmovedfastthereafter.Thedistrictauthorities,includingforestand

environmentofficers,visitedtheisland.Soonafter,IgottheDefenceMinister’sclearancetoacquiretheislands.TheformalitiesweregonethroughwiththeOrissagovernmentandtheforestdepartmenttotransfertheland.IpersonallymettheconcernedseniorofficialstomakethefilemovetothedeskoftheChiefMinister.IalsowroteadetailedlettertotheChiefMinisterexplainingwhyweneededtheislandsforDRDOwork,speciallyforuseasarangeforexperimentalpurposes.Wehadalreadydonepreparatoryworkbeforemovingtheapplication.There

weretypicalquestionsaboutfishingactivityinthevicinity,thedisturbancethatmightbecausedtoturtlemigrationandaboveallthecostoftheislands.WithintendayswegotanappointmentfromtheChiefMinister.IhadheardalotaboutChiefMinisterBijuPatnaik,particularlyabouthisdaysasapilotandhisfriendshipwithPresidentSukarno.WhenIenteredtheChiefMinister’schamberswithMaj.Gen.K.N.SinghandSalwan,hewelcomeduswarmly.Tomeheexclaimed,‘OhmyfriendKalam,IhavefollowedyourworkfromthetimeofDrSarabhaitonow.Whateveryouask,Iwillgive.’InmypresencehesignedtheOrissagovernment’sdecisiontogivetoDRDOallthefourislandsandsaid,‘Kalam,Ihavegiventheapprovalyouaskedfor,Iknowyouwilluseitwell.Yourmission–themissileprogramme–isveryimportanttothecountry.

AnythingneededfromOrissawillbeyours.’Then,suddenly,heheldmeandgavemeaveryaffectionatehug.Hesaidinademandingtone,‘Kalam,youhavetogivemeapromiseandassurancetothenation.ThedayIndiamakesitsownICBMIshallbestrongerasanIndian.’Therewassilence.Ihadtorespondimmediately.BijuPatnaikwasamanwithatremendouspersonalityanddeeplyimpressiveasaleadertoo,onewhoseloveforthenationtranscendedpolitics.Ilookedstraightintohiseyesandsaid,‘Sir,wewillworkforyourmission.IwilldiscussyourthoughtinDelhi.’Somefortyyearsago,thedaredevilBijuPatnaikpilotedhisKalingaAirways

planeintoJakartatofindIndonesianPresidentSukarnointhefirstflushoffatherhood.Sukarno’swifehaddeliveredababy,andthefamilywassearchingforanameforthenewborngirlwhenBijudacalledonthem.SukarnoexplainedtheproblemonhandtothevisitorfromIndia.BijuPatnaik

casthismindbacktothecloudsthathadgreetedthebaby’sarrivalandsuggestedtheSanskritequivalentforthem.Sukarno’sdaughterwaspromptlychristenedMegawatiandthusthedaughteroftheleaderoftheworld’slargestMuslimnationgotaHinduname.Forgreatmen,religionisawayofmakingfriends;smallpeoplemakereligionafightingtool.Manyyearslater,afterseveralpoliticalupheavals,MegawatiSukarnoputri

wouldbecomefirsttheVicePresidentandthenthePresidentofIndonesia.Lament,myfriend,atthepassingawayofagenerationofpoliticianswitha

voice,visionandreachthatwentfarbeyondourborders.LamentatourState-sponsored,abnormalandparanoidfixationwithaparticularcountrythathasblindedustotherestoftheworld,includingtheThirdWorld,whichweusedtoheadnotsolongago.Andweepsoftlyatwhatwehavereducedourselvestointhecomityofnations.Foralargecountrywithabillionpeople,acountrywithathrivingindustryandalargepoolofscientifictalent,acountry,moreover,thatisanuclearpower,Indiadoesnotcountforasmuchasitshould.Intermsofourinfluenceinworldaffairs,probablynoothercountryissofarbelowitspotentialasweare.AfterPokhranII,theWestspeaksaboutIndiaandPakistaninthesamebreath.

IsitnotinournationalinteresttodemonstratetotheworldthatwecanthinkofaworldbeyondPakistan,thatweareaqualitativelybetter,morematureand

secularcountrywithagreatercommitmenttothevaluesofdemocracyandfreedom?DuringMarch2002,Iwasteachingabout200finalyearstudentsof

engineeringatAnnaUniversityandIgaveaseriesoftenlectureson‘TechnologyandItsDimensions’.Onthefinaldayoftheinteraction,therewasadiscussiononDualUseTechnologies.Oneofthestudentsraisedaquestion.‘Sir,IhaverecentlycomeacrossDrAmartyaSen’sstatementthatthenuclear

weapontestconductedinMay1998byIndiawasillconceived.DrAmartyaSenisagreateconomistandaNobellaureatewhoismuchrespectedforhisideasondevelopment.Acommentfromsuchapersonalitycannotbeignored.Whatisyourviewonhiscomments?’‘IacknowledgethegreatnessofDrAmartyaSeninthefieldofeconomic

developmentandadmirehissuggestions,suchasthatthrustshouldbegiventoprimaryeducation,’Isaid.‘Atthesametime,itseemedtomethatDrSenlookedatIndiafromaWesternperspective.Inhisview,Indiashouldhaveafriendlyrelationshipwithallcountriestoenhanceitseconomicprosperity.Iagree,butwemustalsobearinmindIndia’sexperienceinthepast.PanditNehruspokeintheUnitedNationsagainstnuclearproliferationandadvocatedzeronuclearweaponsinallthecountries.Weknowtheresult.Oneshouldnotethattherearemorethan10,000nuclearwarheadsonAmericansoil,another10,000nuclearwarheadsareonRussiansoilandthereareanumberofthemintheUK,China,France,Pakistanandsomeothercountries.TheSTARTIIandtherecentagreementsbetweentheUSAandRussiaonlytalkaboutreducingthenumberofnuclearwarheadsto2,000eachandeventheseagreementsarelimping.Nobodytakesthereductionofwarheadsinseriousterms.ThereshouldbeamovementbythosewhoareagainsttheMay1998testinAmericaandRussiaorotherWesterncountriestoachievezeronuclearweaponsstatus.Itisessentialtorememberthattwoofourneighbouringcountriesarearmedwithnuclearweaponsandmissiles.CanIndiabeasilentspectator?’Indiahasbeeninvadedinthelast3,000yearsbyasuccessionofconquerors,

includingtheBritish,French,DutchandPortuguese,eithertoenlargetheirterritoryortospreadareligionortostealthewealthofourcountry.WhyisitIndianeverinvadedothercountries(withafewexceptionsintheTamilkingdoms)?Isitbecauseourkingswerenotbraveenough?ThetruthisIndians

weretolerantandneverunderstoodthetrueimplicationsofbeingruledbyothersforgenerations.Butafterthelongindependencestrugglewhenwegotourfreedomandthecountrygotunitedandhasphysicalboundaries,isitpossibletoremainwitheconomicprosperityastheonlygoal?Theonlywaytoshowthestrengthofthecountryisthemighttodefendit.Strengthrespectsstrengthandnotweakness.Strengthmeansmilitarymightandeconomicprosperity.ThedecisionsandpoliciesoftheUnitedNationsSecurityCouncilaredictatedbythecountrieswhopossessnuclearweapons.HowisitwedidnotgetaseatintheSecurityCouncilsofarbutnowothernationsarerecommendingthatIndiabemadeamember?Inthisregard,thereisanotherincidentIwouldliketonarrate.Myfriend,

AdmiralL.Ramdas,whoretiredasthenavalchief,toldmethatheandagroupofpeoplewouldholdademonstrationbeforeParliamentprotestingagainstthenucleartestcarriedoutinMay1998.IrepliedtomyfriendthatheandhisgroupshouldfirstdemonstrateinfrontoftheWhiteHouseandtheKremlinagainstthelargequantityofnuclearwarheadsandICBMsthere.Icalltomypeopletorisetogreatness.ItisacalltoallIndianstorisetotheir

highestcapabilities.Whataretheforceswhichleadtotheriseorfallofnations?Andwhatarethefactorswhichgotomakeanationstrong?Threefactorsareinvariablyfoundinastrongnation:acollectiveprideinitsachievements,unityandtheabilityforcombinedaction.Forapeopleandanationtorisetothehighest,theymusthaveacommon

memoryofgreatheroesandexploits,ofgreatadventuresandtriumphsinthepast.IftheBritishrosetogreatheightsitisbecausetheyhadgreatheroestoadmire,menlikeLordNelson,say,ortheDukeofWellington.Japanrepresentsafineexampleofnationalpride.TheJapaneseareproudofbeingonepeople,havingoneculture,andbecauseofthattheycouldtransformahumiliatingmilitarydefeatintoatriumphanteconomicvictory.Allnationswhichhaverisentogreatnesshavebeencharacterizedbyasense

ofmission.TheJapanesehaveitinlargemeasure.SodotheGermans.Inthecourseofthreedecades,Germanywastwiceallbutdestroyed.Andyetitspeople’ssenseofdestinyneverdimmed.FromtheashesoftheSecondWorldWar,ithasemergedanationeconomicallypowerfulandpoliticallyassertive.IfGermanycanbeagreatnation,whycan’tIndia?

UnfortunatelyforIndia,historicforceshavenotgivenacommonmemorytoallcommunitiesbytakingthembacktotheirrootsamillenniumdowntheages.Notenoughefforthasbeenmadeinthelastfiftyyearstofosterthatmemory.Ihadthefortuneoflearningmanyofourreligionsinthecountryfrommy

childhood,inhighschoolandthenonwardsfornearlyseventyyears.OneaspectIrealizeisthatthecentralthemeofanyreligionisspiritualwell-being.IndeeditshouldbeunderstoodthatthefoundationofsecularisminIndiahastobederivedfromspirituality.Itisbecauseoursenseofmissionhasweakenedthatwehaveceasedtobetrue

toourcultureandourselves.Ifwecometolookuponourselvesasadividedpeoplewithnoprideinourpastandnofaithinthefuture,whatelsecanwelookforwardtoexceptfrustration,disappointmentanddespair?InIndia,thecoreculturegoesbeyondtime.ItprecedesthearrivalofIslam;it

precedesthearrivalofChristianity.TheearlyChristians,liketheSyrianChristiansofKerala,haveretainedtheirIndiannesswithadmirabledetermination.AretheylessChristianbecausetheirmarriedwomenwearthemangalsutraortheirmenfolkwearthedhotiintheKeralastyle?Kerala’sChiefMinister,A.K.Antony,isnotahereticbecauseheandhispeoplearepartofKerala’sculture.BeingaChristiandoesnotmakehimanalien.Onthecontrary,itgivesanaddeddimensiontohisIndianness.A.R.RahmanmaybeaMuslimbuthisvoiceechoesinthesoulofallIndians,ofwhateverfaith,whenhesingsVandeMataram.Thegreatestdangertooursenseofunityandoursenseofpurposecomesfrom

thoseideologistswhoseektodividethepeople.TheIndianConstitutionbestowsonallthecitizenstotalequalityunderitsprotectiveumbrella.Whatisnowcauseforconcernisthetrendtowardsputtingreligiousformoverreligioussentiments.Whycan’twedevelopacultural–notreligious–contextforourheritagethatservestomakeIndiansofusall?Thetimehascomeforustostopdifferentiating.Whatweneedtodayisavisionforthenationwhichcanbringunity.ItiswhenweacceptIndiainallitssplendidglorythat,withasharedpastasa

base,wecanlookforwardtoasharedfutureofpeaceandprosperity,ofcreationandabundance.Ourpastistherewithusforever.Ithastobenurturedingoodfaith,notdestroyedinexercisesofpoliticaloneupmanship.

ThedevelopedIndiawillnotbeanationofcities.Itwillbeanetworkofprosperousvillagesempoweredbytelemedicine,tele-educationande-commerce.ThenewIndiawillemergeoutofthecombinationofbiotechnology,biosciencesandagriculturesciencesandindustrialdevelopment.Thepoliticalleaderswouldbeworkingwiththezealbornoftheknowledgethatthenationisbiggerthanindividualinterestsandpoliticalparties.Thisattitudewillleadtominimizingtherural-urbandivideasprogresstakesplaceinthecountrysideandurbanitesmovetoruralareastoabsorbthebestofwhatnaturecangiveintheformofproductsandwealth.Themostimportantandurgenttaskbeforeourleadershipistogetallthe

forcesforconstructivechangetogetheranddeploytheminamissionmode.Indiaisacountryofonebillionpeoplewithnumerousreligionsandcommunities.Itoffersawidespectrumofideologies,besidesitsgeographicdiversity.Thisisourgreateststrength.However,fragmentedthinking,compartmentalizedplanningandisolatedeffortsarenotyieldingresults.ThepeoplehavetocometogethertocreateaharmoniousIndia.Thesecondvisionofthenationwillbringaboutarenaissancetothenation.

ThetaskofcastingastrongIndiaisinthehandsofavisionarypoliticalleadership.

SUMMARY

Therearesuccessstoriesamongfailures.Thereishopeamongchaos,promiseamongproblems.Weareonebillionpeoplewithmultiplefaithsandideologies.Intheabsenceofanationalvisioncracksattheseamkeepsurfacingandmakeusvulnerable.Thereisaneedtoreinforcethisseamandamalgamateusintoonenationalforum.

6

TheKnowledgeSociety

Wisdomisaweapontowardoffdestruction;Itisaninnerfortresswhichenemiescannotdestroy.

—Thirukkural421(200BC)

AncientIndiawasanadvancedknowledgesociety.Invasionsandcolonialruledestroyeditsinstitutionsandrobbeditofitscorecompetence.Itspeoplehavebeensystematicallydegradedtolowerlevelsofexistence.BythetimetheBritishleft,ouryouthhadloweredtheiraimsandweresatisfiedearninganordinarylivelihood.Indiaisessentiallyalandofknowledgeanditmustrediscoveritselfinthisaspect.Oncethisrediscoveryisdone,itwillnotrequiremuchstruggletoachievethequalityoflife,strengthandsovereigntyofadevelopednation.Knowledgehasmanyformsanditisavailableatmanyplaces.Itisacquired

througheducation,information,intelligenceandexperience.Itisavailableinacademicinstitutions,withteachers,inlibraries,inresearchpapers,seminarproceedingsandinvariousorganizationsandworkplaceswithworkers,managers,indrawings,inprocesssheetsandontheshopfloors.Knowledge,thoughcloselylinkedtoeducation,comesequallyfromlearningskillssuchasthosepossessedbyourartists,craftsmen,hakims,vaidyas,philosophersandsaints,asalsoourhousewives.Knowledgeplaysaveryimportantroleintheirperformanceandoutputtoo.Ourheritageandhistory,therituals,epicsandtraditionsthatformpartofourconsciousnessarealsovastresourcesofknowledgeasareourlibrariesanduniversities.Thereisanabundanceofunorthodox,earthywisdominourvillages.Therearehiddentreasuresofknowledgeinourenvironment,intheoceans,bioreservesanddeserts,inthe

plantandanimallife.Everystateinourcountryhasauniquecorecompetenceforaknowledgesociety.Knowledgehasalwaysbeentheprimemoverofprosperityandpower.The

acquisitionofknowledgehasthereforebeenthethrustareathroughouttheworld.Additionally,inIndia,therehasbeenacultureofsharingit,notonlythroughthetraditionofguru—shishyabutalsobyitsspreadtoneighbouringcountriesthroughtravellerswhocametoNalandaandotheruniversitiesdrawnbytheirreputationascentresoflearning.Indiaisendowedwithnaturalandcompetitiveadvantagesasalsocertaindistinctivecompetencies.Butthesearescatteredinisolatedpocketsandtheawarenessoftheseisinadequate.Duringthelastcenturytheworldhaschangedfrombeinganagriculturalsociety,inwhichmanuallabourwasthecriticalfactor,toanindustrialsocietywherethemanagementoftechnology,capitalandlabourprovidethecompetitiveadvantage.Inthetwenty-firstcentury,anewsocietyisemergingwhereknowledgeistheprimaryproductionresourceinsteadofcapitalandlabour.Efficientutilizationofthisexistingknowledgebasecancreatewealthforusintheformofbetterhealth,educationandotherindicatorsofprogress.Theabilitytocreateandmaintaintheknowledgeinfrastructure,toenhanceskillsandincreaseproductivitythroughtheexploitationofadvancesinvariousfieldswillbethekeyfactorsindecidingtheprosperityofthissociety.Whetheranationqualifiesasaknowledgesocietyisjudgedbyhoweffectivelyitdealswithknowledgecreationandknowledgedeployment.Theknowledgesocietyhastwoveryimportantcomponentsdrivenbysocietal

transformationandwealthgeneration.Thesocietaltransformationisinrespectofeducation,healthcare,agricultureandgovernance.Thesewillleadtoemploymentgeneration,highproductivityandruralprosperity.Thetaskofwealthgenerationforthenationhastobewovenaroundnational

competencies.TheTIFACtaskteamhasidentifiedcoreareasthatwillspearheadourmarchtowardsbecomingaknowledgesociety.Theareasare:informationtechnology,biotechnology,spacetechnology,weatherforecasting,disastermanagement,telemedicineandtele-education,technologiesutilizingtraditionalknowledge,servicesectorandinfotainmentwhichistheemergingarearesultingfromconvergenceofinformationandentertainment.Thesecoretechnologies,

fortunately,canbeinterwovenbyIT,asectorthattookoffonlyduetotheenterprisingspiritoftheyoung.Thustherearemultipletechnologiesandappropriatemanagementstructures

thathavetoworktogethertogenerateaknowledgesociety.WithIndiacarvinganicheforitselfininformationtechnology,thecountryisuniquelyplacedtofullycapitalizeontheopportunitytoquicklytransformitselfintoaknowledgesociety.Themethodologyofwealthgenerationinthesecoreareasandtobeabletomeetanexporttargetsetat$50billionbytheyear2008,especiallythroughtheITsector,isasubjectthatiscurrentlyunderdiscussion.Alsobeingdiscussedishowbesttosimultaneouslydevelopthecapabilitytogenerateinformationtechnologyproductsworth$30billiondomesticallytopumpinforsocietaltransformation.IamgladthatthePlanningCommissionhastakenaleadingeneratingaroadmapfortransformingIndiaintoaknowledgesociety.IhadtheopportunitytobetheChairmanoftheSteeringCommitteesetupforthistask.Evolvingsuitablepolicyandadministrativeprocedures,changesinregulatory

methods,identificationofpartnersand,mostimportant,creationofyounganddynamicleadersarethecomponentsthathavetobeputinplace.Inordertogeneratewealth,whichisthesecondcomponentforestablishingaknowledgesociety,itisessentialthatsimultaneouslyacitizen-centricapproachtoshapingofbusinesspolicy,user-driventechnologygenerationandintensifiedindustry—lab—academialinkageshavealsotobeestablished.Becomingaknowledgesuperpowerbytheyear2010isaveryimportant

missionforthenation.Whileaknowledgesocietyhasatwo-dimensionalobjectiveofsocietaltransformationandwealthgeneration,athirddimensionemergesifIndiaistotransformitselfintoaknowledgesuperpower.Thisisknowledgeprotectionanditentailsatremendousresponsibility.Itisveryimportantthatourcommunicationnetworkandinformationgeneratorsareprotectedfromelectronicattacksthroughsurveillanceandmonitoring.Thereshouldbeafocussedapproachtointellectualpropertyrightsandrelatedissues,andourancientknowledgeandculturetooarepartofourresourcebaseandneedtobeprotectedassuch.In1960,theagriculturesectoremployedinpartorinfull74percentofthe

population.Thiscamedownto62percentin1992andisexpectedtofurtherfallto50percentby2010,thoughthedemandofagriculturalproductswilldouble

bythen.Higherproductivityandbetterpost-harvestmanagementwillhavetocompensateforthemanpowerreductioninthefarmingandagriculturalproductssector.TherewasafunctioninChennaiorganizedbytheManipalAcademyof

HigherEducationwhofelicitatedmealongwiththefatheroftheGreenRevolution,C.Subramaniam,andeminentlawyerN.A.Palkhivala.Afterthefunction,Isharedwiththeninety-year-oldSubramaniamhisvisionofasecondgreenrevolution.Hetoldmeabouthisdreamofsettingupanationalagrofoundationthatwoulddevelophybridseeds.Hisfoundationwouldadoptsmallandmarginalfarmersandprovidethemwithlaboratoryfacilitiesforsoiltestingandaccesstoinformationontheweatherandmarkets,sothattheycouldearnmorethroughenhancedyieldsandbetterpricesforwhattheyproduced.Heaimedatbringingamillionfarmersunderthescheme.Visionariesdon’tage!Onanotheroccasion,IwastalkingtothestudentsofDrMahalingamCollege

ofEngineeringandTechnologyatPollachi,nearCoimbatore.DrN.Mahalingam,agreatindustrialistandacademician,wassittingwithme.Hewastellingmehowthecountrycangeneratewealththroughagro,chemicalandtextileindustries.Amazedbyhisachievementsinestablishingindustriesandeducationalinstitutions,Iaskedhim,‘Sir,whatisyournextmission?’AsIsaidthis,IrealizedIwasaskingthisquestionofapersonwhowasabouteightyyearsold!DrMahalingamreplied,‘IhaveanalysedtheTamilscriptsusedinthelast

Sangam,whichwas2,500yearsago.NowIwouldliketodoresearchontheTamilscriptsusedinthefirstSangamwhichexisted5,000yearsago!’Itwasanotherremindertomethatvisionariesdon’tage.Inthecaseofindustry,in1960,11percentofthepopulationwasengagedin

small-scaleandlarge-scaleindustries.Thetrendcontinuedwith11percentevenin1992.However,ithastoincreaseto25percentin2010,bearinginmindtheenvisagedGDPgrowthandincreasedcompetitionastraderestrictionsareliftedundertheWTO.Thepatternofemploymentwilltakeanewshape.Employmentintheserviceorknowledgeindustryhasincreasedfrom15percentin1960to27percentin1992.Anditwillfurtherincreaseto50percentinviewofinfrastructuremaintenanceareasandITsectorandentertainmentdemands.

Thisbigchangewilldemandmoretrainedpersonnel.Ourleadersincommerceandindustryhavetopreparethemselvesforthetransformation.Thefactthatthereisnetmigrationfromthevillagestocitiesshowsthe

disparitiesinlivingstandardsbetweenthetwo.Ideally,bothruralandurbanareasshouldbeequallyattractivewithnonetmigrationeitherway.Nearzeronetrural—urbanmigrationisamarkofdevelopment.Howcanweachievethathappybalance?Ruraldevelopmentistheonlysolution.Thismeansprovidingruralareaswiththeamenitiesthatarecurrentlyavailableonlyincities.Thiswouldgenerateemploymentonthesamescale,andatthesamelevel,asinthecitiesintheruralareastoo.Theotherchallengewouldbetoprovidethesebenefitsatasmallfractionofthefinancial,social,culturalandecologicalcoststhecitieshavetobear.Itistheexpectationthatthiscombinationofgeneratingemploymentbearing

inmindenvironmentalfactorswillmakeruralareasasattractiveascitiesare,ifnotevenmoreattractive.Then,ruraldevelopmentmaybeexpectedtoprevent,ifnotactuallyreverse,rural—urbanmigration.Hence,PURAaimsatintegratedphysical,electronicknowledgeandeconomicconnectivity.ExperienceinIndiahasdemonstratedthatthetruehandicapsufferedbyrural

areasispoorconnectivityandlittleelse.Linkingtogetheraloopofvillagesbyaringroadandhigh-qualitytransportmayrectifythatlacuna.Villagesthuslinkedwouldalsoprovidealargeenoughmarkettosupportavarietyofservices,whichtheywouldnotbeabletodoindividually.Theringroadandthetransportservicetogethercanconvertthelinkedvillagesimmediatelyintoavirtualtownwithamarketoftensofthousandsofpeople.Suchanarea,whichwouldalsopossessstate-of-the-arttelecommunicationconnectivity,willhaveahighprobabilityofattainingrapidgrowthbysettingupavirtuouscycle–moreconnectedpeopleattractingmoreinvestment,andmoreinvestmentattractingevenmorepeopleandsoon.Basically,thisinvolvesselectingaringofvillages;connectingthevillagesontheringbyestablishingahigh-qualitytransportandtelecommunicationsystem;encouragingreputedspecialiststolocateschools,hospitalsandothersocialservicesaroundthering;marketingthiswell-servicedspacetoattractindustryandcommerce;andInternetconnectivity.Themodelenvisagedahabitatdesignedtoimprovethequalityoflifeinrural

placesandmadespecialsuggestionstoremoveurbancongestion.Naturallyour

mostintractableurbanproblemisthatofcongestion.Efficientsupplyofwaterandeffectivewastedisposalineverylocalityaretheparamountcivicneeds.Thereisaminimumsizebelowwhichahabitatisnotviableandnotcompetitivewiththeexistingcongestedcity.Atthesametime,theexistingcongestedcityisnoteconomicalcomparedtoanewtownonceaminimumsizeofexpansioniscrossed.Asagainstaconventionalcitythatis,say,rectangularinshapeandmeasuring10kmby6km,themodelconsidersanannularring-shapedtownintegratingminimumeighttotenvillagesofthesame60squarekmarea,andthesameaccessdistanceof1kmtotransportarteries.Itneedsonlyonetransportationrouteofadistancehalfthatneededfortherectangular-shapedcity,sofrequencyoftransportationwillbedoubled,halvingwaitingtimes.Ithaszeronumberofjunctionsandneedsonlyonerouteasagainsteightneededfortherectangularplan,sopeoplewillnolongerneedtochangefromonelinetoanother.Thatsavestransporttime.Further,asalltrafficisconcentratedononesingleroute,high-efficiencymasstransportationsystemsbecomeeconomicalevenforacomparativelysmallpopulation.Thiscutscostssubstantiallyandismoreconvenientforthepeople.RuraldevelopmentisanessentialneedfortransformingIndiaintoa

knowledgesuperpowerandhighbandwidthruralconnectivityistheminimumrequirementtotakeeducationandhealthcaretotheruralareas.Roadmapsfordevelopmentofcertainareashavebeengeneratedandwehavetoworkontheirrealization.TherewasaninvitationbyMrRatanTata,ChairmanoftheTatagroupof

companies,tovisitTelcoatPune,particularlytowitnessthechallengeofdesigning,developingandmanufacturinginthecountryafullyIndiancar,theIndica.Theprospectofthevisitexcitedme.IthoughtIwouldgetananswertosomequestionsthatIhavebeenaskedonmanyoccasions.In1980whenourteaminISROlaunchedthesatellitelaunchvehicleandput

Rohiniintolow-earthorbit,itwasabigeventforthenation.On4January2001,whenIsawthefirstprototypefighteraircraft,theLightCombatAircraft(LCA),designedanddevelopedindigenouslybytheAeronauticalDevelopmentAgency(ADA),takingtotheskies,againIndiawasdescribedasoneofthefewcountriestohaveacquiredcapabilitiesinthissophisticatedfield.Thisistheresultof

intensifiednetworkingbetweenR&Dlaboratories,industry,academicinstitutions,usersandthegovernment.RatanTatatoldmeduringthevisitabouthisvisionofmakingIndiaaglobal

playerintheautomobilesector.Toimplementhisvision,hedecidedtoacquirecarmanufacturingunitsfrommanycountriesratherthansetthemuphereatconsiderableexpenseintermsofmoneyandtime.Helookedtowardsmanufacturingfivetimesthepresentlevelssothattheycouldgraduatetobeinggloballycompetitive.Thisisabeautifulidea.IwouldaddthatIndianindustrialcomplexesshouldbecomeconsortiaasafirststepandthenenvisionbecomingmultinationalcompanies.Iandmyteamareinvitedbyanumberofscientific,industrial,academicand

managementinstitutionstoshareourexperiencesinthepursuitofsomeofthenationaltasksIhavementioned.OnequestionthatcameupduringmyinteractionwithstudentsinMumbairingsinmymindevennow.‘DrKalam,weareveryhappytoseethatIndiacanbuildandproduceitsown

SLVsandsatellites,itsownstrategicmissilesasalsonuclearweaponsandpowerstations.CanyoutellmewhenIndiawilldesignandproduceitsownpassengercarwithanIndianengine?’WhenIwasgoingthroughthedesign,manufactureofcomponent,sub-

assembly,integrationandtestingplantsatTelcoandwastoldthatthecompanyisproducingabout60,000carsannually,Iwasremindedofthisquestion.Iwasnotonlywitnessingtheanswertoitbutalsothetechnologicalstrengthofournation.IhadanotheropportunitytoseeaconcepttakeshapewhenWiproinvitedme

toparticipateinafunctiontomarkthecommissioningofamobileheartcareclinicatBangaloreinOctober2000.ThiswasacollaborativeeffortofWipro-GE,CareFoundationandKlenzaids.MyfriendArunTiwariandIprovidedthesystemconceptfortheproject.Itwasagreatexperienceforme.AftertheinaugurationIvisitedtheWipro-GECentrethatbuildsspecializedmedicalequipmentusingadvancedtechnologies.AssoonasIenteredayoungmanapproachedmeandpinnedanationalflagonmyshirt.Ishookhishandandaskedhim,‘Youngman,willyoustayandworkforthiscountry?’Hereplied,‘DrKalam,Iamintheprofessionofworkingonmedicalgadgets

thatareusedfordiagnosis.Iamcommittedtoaprofessioninwhichonetriesto

removepain.Iamneededhere.’Iwasdelightedbyhisanswer.Thecentreitselfstruckmeasapositivecollaborationbetweentwonationsinthefieldofhealthcare.Aftertheprogramme,AzimPremji,whoheadsWipro,accompaniedmetothe

DRDOguesthouse.Ontheway,heexplainedhowhewastryingtoassistelementaryschoolsinKarnatakasothatmorechildrencouldbebroughtintotheclassroom.Aswewerehavingteaattheguesthouse,Iaskedhim,‘HowhasWiproreacheditshighstatureinthebusinessworld?’Premjigavearemarkableanswer.‘DrKalam,Icansaytherearethreeaspects

thatcometomymind.One:Sweatforgenerationsandthehardworkofteams.Two:InWiproweworkforthecustomer’sdelight.Three:Abitofluck.Thethirdpointwillnotbeofanyconsequenceifthefirsttwoaspectsarenotachieved.InWipro,whatwehavetriedtodoiswealthgenerationwithsocialconcern.’Acommonthreadrunsthroughtheexperienceoftheseinstitutions.Itisthat

wecandeliverhigh-technologysystemsinspiteofcontrolanddenialregimes.Thepresenceofacompetitiveenvironment,networkingcapabilities,wealthgenerationwithsocialconcernandaboveallignitedmindsoftheyoung:theseareallveryimportantingredientsforbuildingaknowledgesociety.MaharishiPatanjalisaidintheYogasutra,‘Whenyouareinspiredbysome

greatpurpose,someextraordinaryproject,allyourthoughtsbreaktheirbounds:Yourmindtranscendslimitations,yourconsciousnessexpandsineverydirection,andyoufindyourselfinanew,great,andwonderfulworld.Dormantforces,faculties,andtalentsbecomealive,andyoudiscoveryourselftobeagreaterpersonbyfarthanyoueverdreamedyourselftobe.’Thatissomethingaddressedtoallofus.Itisthepeopleofanationwhomake

itgreat.Bytheireffort,thepeopleinturnbecomeimportantcitizensoftheirgreatcountry.Ignitedmindsarethemostpowerfulresourceonearth,andtheonebillionmindsofournationareindeedagreatpowerwaitingtobetapped.

SUMMARY

AncientIndiawasaknowledgesocietythatcontributedagreatdealtocivilization.Weneedtorecoverthatstatusandbecomeaknowledgepower.We

mustlearnfromourmistakestoachieveabetterstandardoflife.AdevelopedIndiawillsupplantaspiritofdefeatwiththespiritofvictory.

7

GettingtheForcesTogether

Determinethatthingscanandshallbedone,andthenweshallfindtheway.

—AbrahamLincoln

Asourexperiencereveals,progressisrapidwhereverthereisanefficientadministrativeset-up,ahighlevelofeducationandminimumpoliticalinterferenceindevelopmentactivity.Tome,developmentisasecurity-centricphenomenon–frompovertytofoodsecurity,socialsecurityandthereafternationalsecurity.InIndia2020,wehaveidentifiedfiveareaswhereIndiahasacorecompetenceforintegratedaction.Firstamongthesefiveisagricultureandfoodprocessing,wherewehaveto

setatargetof360milliontonnesoffoodandagriculturalproduction.Agricultureandagrofoodprocessing,particularlybywayofvalueaddition,wouldbringprosperitytotheruralpeopleandspeedupeconomicgrowth.Thesecondareaispower.Areliablesupplyofelectricityinallpartsofthe

countryisamust.Thethirdareaiseducationandhealthcare.Herewehavefoundthateducation

andhealthcareareinterrelated.Forexample,Keralawithhighliteracyandbetterhealthcarecouldbringdowntherateofpopulationgrowthandimprovementinthequalityoflifeinthestate.Similarly,inTamilNadutoowehaveseenafallinthebirthratethatislinkedtothesefactors.StudiesinAndhraPradeshindicateasimilartrend.ThesetrendsneedtobereplicatedinstateslikeBiharandUttarPradesh,wherelevelsofpopulationgrowthremainhigh.Thefourthareaisinformationtechnology.Thisisoneofourcore

competenciesandholdsthepotentialtorapidlytransformbackwardareas,besidespromotingeducationandgeneratingwealth.

Thefifthareaisthestrategicsector.Thisarea,fortunately,haswitnessedgrowthinareaslikenuclear,spaceanddefencetechnology.Actioninthesefiveareas,properlyintegrated,wouldleadtofood,economic,

socialandnationalsecurity.Astrongpartnershipbetweentheresearchanddevelopmentinstitutions,universities,industryandthecommunityasawholewiththegovernmentdepartmentsandagencieswillbeessentialtoaccomplishthevision.Thekeytosuccessliesinconnectivity.Thedevelopmentofeducationandhealthcarewillyieldthebenefitsofsmaller

familiesandamoreefficientworkforce.Itisthekeytoemployabilityandsocialdevelopment.Improvementsintheagriculturalsector,includingthatoffoodprocessing,wouldleadtofoodsecurity,employmentopportunitiesandrapideconomicgrowth.Growthintheinformationtechnologysectorwouldassistrapideconomicgrowthaswellasplayanimportantpartinspeedingupdevelopment.Electricpowerprovidesenergysecuritysocrucialforallsectors.Thestrategicsectorhasadirectimpactonindustry,sustaininggrowthandtechnologicalstrength.Forbalanceddevelopment,allthefiveareasareofimportance.ThecombinedeffectofthesefiveareaswouldresultinGDPgrowthrisingfrompresent6percentto10percentandthelivesof300to400millionpeoplewhoarepresentlylivingbelowthepovertylinewouldbesignificantlyimproved.IworkedwithTIFACteamsinthreeareas–agriculture,advancededucation

andruralconnectivity.Indoingso,Idrewonmyearlierexperiencesinthemissionareasofsugar,flyashandcomposites.WithProf.S.K.Sinha,arenownedagriculturalscientist,TIFACtookupaprojecttoenhanceagriculturalproductivityincentralBiharandeasternIndia.Sixvillagesinoneandninevillagesintheotherregionwereselectedduringthekharifseasonof1998.Thesystemapproachconsistedofsoilanalysis,seedchoice,cultivationseason,fertilizerselectionandtrainingtothefarmers.Thisintensivecollaborationofscientistsandfarmersresultedinsubstantialincreaseinwheatyields,whichrosefrom2.5tonnesperhectaretonearly5tonnesperhectare.WhenIandY.S.Rajanvisitedafewvillageswherethissystemapproachisused,wefoundthefarmersshowinganinterestinnewissueslikeequipmentforfasterharvesting,storagefacilitiesandmarketingandbankingsystems.Itwasclearthatasmall

team,cuttingacrossvariousdepartments,couldworkwonderseveninadifficultregion,achievingresultsinacost-andtime-effectiveway.AnotherexperimentunderwayisREACH(RelevanceandExcellencein

ACHievingnewheightsineducationinstitutions).Thepurposeofthismissionistoestablish80to100centresthatfollowcommonacademicprogrammesandsharethecommitmenttoachieveexcellence.Inthisendeavour,theyworktogetherbyinterchangeoffacultyandjointresearchasneedbe.Aspartofthis,CentresofRelevanceandExcellence(CORE)havebeenestablishedinPatiala,Dibrugarh,Mumbai,ThanjavurandSuratintheareasofagroandindustrialbiotechnology,advancedcomputingandinformationprocessing,petroleumreservoirengineering,industrialsafety,environmentalengineeringandherbaldrugs.OurexperienceintheREACHprogrammeisthatindustriesarewillingtoparticipateinspecializedareasoftheirinterestandtheyarealsowillingtoinvestabout40percentofthetotalexpenditureinestablishingCORE.Inreturn,theywillbenefitintermsofskilledmanpowerandaccesstotheresultsofresearch.Thewillingnessofindustrytobepartnersintechnologydevelopmentandeducationhashelpedourconfidenceagreatdeal.ItwasalsosatisfyingtoseeDrM.S.Vijayaraghavan,AdviserintheofficeofthePrincipalScientificAdviser,blossomintoaleaderintheintegratedlearningsystem.Hisinnovationwastobringthecommitmentofindustrytothelearningprogramme.Anotherexamplerelatestotheprogrammeforruralconnectivityevolved

undertheleadershipofProf.P.V.Indiresan,whowasformerlyDirectorofIITMadras.Asmentionedearlier,thefactthatthereisnetmigrationfromvillagestocitiesindicatesthattheyoffermoreopportunities,andtheonlywaytoequalizetheflowistodeveloptheruralareasandbringlifethereonparwiththatinthecities.Onceemploymentopportunitiesincreasethere,asdotheamenitiesavailable,asperthemodelcreatedbyProf.Indiresan,ruraldevelopmentmaybeexpectedtoprevent,ifnotactuallyreverse,rural—urbanmigration.Presently,severaltechnologiesexisttomakethispossible,providedweusetheconnectivityapproachinvariousareas.FortheruraldevelopmentprogrammecalledPURA,wehaveintroducedthe

conceptofdynamicconnectivityoffourtypescalledPEEK:Physics,Electronics,EconomicsandKnowledgeconnectivities.OnemoreimportantneedisIT-driventelemedicine.

InMaylastyear,IvisitedtheCAREHospitalinHyderabad.Thewholeplacehadbeengearedupforatelemedicinetrialandthehallwasfullofdoctors,communicationengineers,computerscientistsandsoftwareexperts.Patientsweretobetestedandadvisedthroughtelemedicine.Thepatientswouldundergoelectrocardiographyandtestsforliverfunctioning.Thenovelthingwasthatthepatientswereinadistantplace,butthediagnosiswouldbedoneinHyderabad.Thedoctorsandthepatientsinteractedviasatellite.TheECGdatawas

exchangedwithhigh-resolutionimagetransferandclinicalinformationprovidedinrealtime.Icouldseetheultrasoundimagesofliverandheartfunctioningofthepatientscomingfromafarawayhospitalasspecialistsgavetheiropinion.Itlookedlikeaverypromisingwaytoofferhealthcareservicesinplacesthatdidnothavethemedicalfacilitiesofalargecity.Telemedicinecouldtakeadvancedmedicaltechnologytotheruralvillagesandhelplinkupprimaryhealthcentres,areahospitals,districthospitalsandspecialityhospitalsinthestatecapitals.Tomeitwasfascinatingtoseehowitbroughttogetherengineeringandmedicalsciencetotreatapatientirrespectiveofdistance,usingadvancesinsatellitecommunicationandtransmissionofdata.Itwasin1990,onarecommendationofafriendofmine,thatIvisited

AravindEyeHospitalatMaduraiforaneyecheck-upandtreatment.UponenteringIsawanorderlyqueueofpatientsawaitingtheirturnandjoinedit.ThequeuewasalongonebutitwasmovingfastandwithinhalfanhourIwasbeingexaminedbyDrG.Natchiarandrecommendedtreatment.Thatdone,Iwenttodepositthemoneyforadmissiontothehospital.However,Ihadtroublepayingatthecounterasthegirlthererefusedtoacceptacheque,andIhadnocash.IwenttoDrNatchiaragainandtoldhermypredicament.Sheconsideredbrieflyandagreedtoadmitme.Iwastreatedanddischargedafterafewdays.Afewdayslater,IreceivedaletterfromDrNatchiarapologizingfornothavingrecognizedme.Shecametoknowonlywhenmysecuritypersonnelenquiredaboutmeatthehospitalaftermydischarge.Ihavevisitedthehospitaloftenafterthatfirstvisit.DrG.Venkataswamy,

brotherofDrNatchiar,isagoodfriend,andImakeitapointtomeethimeverytimeIvisitMadurai.LetmetellyoualittlemoreaboutDrVenkataswamyandhiscommitmenttohiswork.TheAravindEyeHospitalhandledmorethan1.3millionoutpatientvisitsin2001.Itconducted190,000surgeriesandheldabout

1,500eyescreeningcamps.NowonderthenthatDrVenkataswamy’shardworkhasachievedrecognitionfromWHO.Thehospitalprovidestrainingtostudentsfromleadinguniversitiesabroad,includingHarvardandJohnsHopkins.DrVenkataswamyhasbecomeasuperbsurgeondespitewhattomanyinhis

positionwouldbeacripplinghandicap:hisfingersaretwistedandfrozenbyarthritisthatstruckhimwhilehewasastudentinmedicalschool.Oneday,asweweretalkinghenarratedthisincidenttome.Anindustrialist

fromDelhicametoDrVenkataswamyandsaid,‘Ineedtobuildahospital,andIamverymuchimpressedwithyourhospital.WillyoucomeandstartahospitalinDelhiforme?’DrVenkataswamyaskedhim,‘Whatisitthatyouwant?Youhavethemoney;

itisnotdifficultforyoutoputupahospitalinDelhi.Whydon’tyoujustdoit?’Theindustrialistsaid,‘No,IwantahospitalwiththeAravindculture,people

arecordialhere.Theyseemtorespectpeoplemorethanmoney.Thereisacertainempathyorcompassionthatseemstoflowfromthem.’Myownexperienceatthehospitalborethisout.IntheAravindexperienceI

seethepaththatweneedtotake–atransformationoflifeintoapowerfulinstrumentofrightaction.Aswithmedicine,inthesameway,weshallseetechnologyalliedtodifferent

fields,suchasagriculture.Buttheoverallpurposehastobetohelpthepeopleandmeettheirneeds.ThevisionofadevelopedIndiacanberealizedonlyifwerecognizethat

wealthgenerationandwealthprotectionaretwosidesofthesamecoin.Anation’swealthrepresentsthesweatandhardworkofitspeople.ThefamousTamilpoetAndal,whowasregardedasoneofthethirteenVaishnaviteAlwars,inherfamousworkTiruppavaiinvokestheblessingsofGodtoprovideinplentyNeengathaSelvam(stablewealth)totheland.Thisispossibleonlywithanintegratedapproachtowardsdevelopment.Grantedplannerslookindividuallyattheactivitiesofvariousministriesandapprovetheiractionplans.However,iftheseproposalsweretobelookedatnotinisolationbutinthecontextofmultiple-useplanning,thebenefitswouldmultiply.Thusatechnology,productoraserviceresultingoutofaparticularprogrammeofadepartment/ministryshouldbemandatedtobeavailabletootherdepartments/ministriesatthestageofplanapprovals.Thiswouldprovidetheneededintegrationattheplanning

stage.Asimilarapproachneedstobeputinplaceatotherdownstreamactivities.Anintegratedmissionapproachwouldpermitinterweavingofmeasurestogeneratewealthwithsimilarstepsforwealthprotection.ThisisthehallmarkofadevelopedcountryandhencethekeytoadevelopedIndia.Anotheraspectofadevelopedcountryisglobalcompetitivenessofits

industry.Itisnotonlycateringtothehomemarketbutalsoaimingforalargemarketoutsideit.Hence,itscontributiontoGDPisalsoverylarge.ThisisaprerequisiteforIndiatooinitsdevelopment.Indianindustryhastoshowthesamecompetitivenessandinnovationsothatwecanhaveourownmultinationals.Universalliteracyandaccesstoeducationforallisanotherfundamental

requirementforanationtobetrulydeveloped.Educationwouldresultinthecreationofalargebaseofpeoplewhoexcelinvariousfieldsaswell,aninvaluableresourceforanycountry.Atpresent,however,thereisahighdegreeofasymmetryintheeducational

system.Whiletherearemanywhoaspiretohighereducation,qualityinstitutionstoimpartthisarefew.Thiscreatesalargemismatchofdemandandsupplyinqualitymanpowerandisstarklyevidentinemergingsunriseareassuchasinformationtechnology,biotechnology,environmentalengineeringandmanufacturingtechnology.Theeconomicliberalizationtakingplacewillonlyintensifysuchdemandincomingyears.Moreoverhighereducationhasalsotobemademorerelevanttoindustryandsociety,anaspectinwhichitisinadequateatpresent.Onesolutionliesinfosteringinstitutionswithexpertiseinselectedsubjectsof

relevancetoindustryandsociety.Someoftheinstitutionswhichhaveexcelledthisfarcouldprovidetemplatesforthenewones.Lastly,thesolutionshouldbeimplementedinamissionmode–onlythemissionobjectivesshouldbeparamountandallelsesubservienttotheseobjectives.Todeveloptothedesiredlevel,industryalsoneedstorecognizethe

importanceofforwardandbackwardlinkages.Whilelinkageswithbridginginstitutionssuchasthinktanks,technical/consultancyservices,otherfirmsinvolvedinsimilaractivitiesaswellascustomersconstitutetheforwardlinkage,partnershipwithuniversities,R&Dlabsandtechnology-providinginstitutionswouldformthebackwardlinkage.Investmentinhighereducationistherefore

crucialforformingthisbackwardlinkagewhichwouldserveasaspringboardforIndianindustrytomakethejumptobecomingaglobalplayer.WeshouldnothesitatetotakeafastdecisionforestablishingtwentymoreIITsandmedicalinstitutions;whethertheyarepromotedbyIndianorforeigngroupsdoesnotmatteraslongasthebottomlineremainsexcellence.On15October2000awebsitedesignedformebyfriendsinthePonnGroup

waslaunchedbytheInfosysChairman,N.R.NarayanaMurthy,inthepresenceofProf.N.BalakrishnanoftheIISc.Someofmyfriendsaskedmetopostafewquestionsonthewebsite.Myquestionswerethree.First:‘Indiahasbeenadevelopingcountryformorethanhalfacentury.WhatwouldyouasyoungboysandgirlsliketodotomakeitadevelopedIndia?’Thesecondquestionwas,‘WhencanIsingasongofIndia?’andthethird,‘Whydoweloveanythingforeigninspiteofourcapabilitiesinmanyfields,whereasothercountriescelebratetheirownsuccesses?’Myonlystipulationwasthattheanswershouldcomefromyouthagedundertwenty.Morethanahundredanswersandsuggestionswerereceivedfromwithinthe

countryandabroad.Fiveoftheseanswersarerelevanthere.OneyoungmanfromChandigarhresponded,‘Iwillbecomeateacher(rather,

aprofessorofengineering)sinceIamgoodin,aswellasenjoy,teachingandIbelievethatoneofthebestwaysinwhichtoserveone’snationistobeeitheraprofessororasoldier…’AgirlwrotefromPondichery,‘Asingleflowermakesnogarland.Iwill…workforagarlandleadingtounityofminds,asthisisneededfortransformingIndiaintoadevelopedcountry.’Atwenty-year-oldyouthfromGoaresponded,‘Likeanelectronceaselesslymovinginitsorbit,Iwillworkceaselesslyformycountry,nowonwards.’WithreferencetothesecondpointIhadraised,ayoungmanfromAtlanta

wrote:‘WhenIndiabecomescapableofimposingsanctionsagainstanycountry,iftheyareneeded,thenIwillsingasongofIndia.’Whattheyoungmanmeantwasthateconomicstrengthbringsprosperityaccompaniedbynationalstrength.Thefifthanswerisactuallysomethingthat30percentoftherespondentssaid:theneedforgreatertransparencyinvariousfacetsofourlife.OnecrucialfactoftenoverlookedisthatIndiahasapopulationof700millionpeoplebelowtheageofthirty-five.Theseare700millionpeoplewiththeinclination,theability

andtheenthusiasmtotakethenationtogreatness.Itisaverybigforceforchangeindeed.Howcanoneignitetheyoungminds?Howcanoneattractandinvolvethe

younginthetaskofnationbuilding?Onlyaunitedvisionlaunchedwithrenewedvigourwillbringtheyoungforceintoaction.ThesubjectoftransparencyandvaluesbringstomymindGandhiji.I

happenedtomeetinDelhihisgranddaughter,SumitraKulkarni.Iaskedher,‘Sumitraji,isthereaparticularincident(inrespectofhonestyinpubliclife)thatyoualwaysrememberfromyourgrandfather’slife?’Shenarratedtomethisstory.‘Everyday,asyouallwouldhaveheard,

MahatmaGandhiheldaprayermeetingatafixedtimeintheevening.Aftertheprayerstherewouldbeacollectionofvoluntarygiftsforthewelfareofharijansandothers.ThedevoteesofGandhijiusedtocollectwhateverwasgivenbythepeopleofallsectionsandthiscollectionwascountedbyafewmemberssuggestedbyGandhiji.TheamountsocollectedwouldbeinformedtoGandhijibeforedinner.Thenextday,amanfromthebankwouldcometocollectthemoneyfordeposit.‘Oncethemanreportedthattherewasashortageoffewpaiseinthemoney

handedovertohimandtheamountinformedtoGandhijithepreviousnight.Gandhiji,onhearingthis,wassoupsetthathewentonfastsayingthatthisisapoorman’sdonationandwehavenobusinesstoloseanyofit.’Thisepisodeisauniqueexampleoftransparencyinpubliclife.Well,inthesamecountrywearewitnessingthebestandtheworst.Weshouldall,particularlytheyounggeneration,launchamovementforatransparentIndia,justasourfathersfoughtforourfreedom.Transparencyisacornerstoneofdevelopment.Wehavespokenaboutourprogresssinceindependence.Weareself-sufficient

inagriculture,leadtheworldinmilkproduction,havemadeenormousstridesinindustrialdevelopmentandsoon.However,wearestilladevelopingcountry,oneamonghundreds.Assuch,itisimportanttounderstandwherewestandintermsof

competitiveness.Acountry’scompetitivenessisdefinedas‘theabilityofanationaleconomytoachievesustainedhighratesofeconomicgrowth’.Bythatyardstick,accordingtotheglobalcompetitivenessreportpreparedbytheWorldEconomicForum,Singaporeisfirst,theUSAissecond,HongKongisthird,

Taiwanisfourth,Canadaisfifth,theUKiseighth,Francetwenty-third,Germanytwenty-fifthandIndiafifty-ninth.Whatdecidesworldcompetitiveness?Itisacombinationofthe

progressivenessofindustry,thepushforimprovedtechnologyandthestatusofgovernmentalderegulation.IntermsofoverallGDPsize,wearetwelfthintheworld;intermsofpercapitaGDPwearefifty-seventh.Isthisstatusacceptabletous?Especiallytotheyoung?IbelieveweshouldworkforfourthorfifthpositionintermsofGDPaswellasinrespectofcompetitiveness.Thetargetyearshouldbe2020andweshouldaimforahigherpositionafterwards.Wehavediscussedsomeofthestrategiesandtoolsthatcanhelpusacquirethedesiredstatus.Toreiterate,aknowledgesocietycanformthefoundationforsuchavision.I

amgladthatthePlanningCommissionhastakenaleadingeneratingaroadmapforustobecomesuchasociety.Wheredowestart?Anumberofnewstateshavebeencreatedrecentlyand

theseprovideanexcellentopportunitytobegin.Thesestatesarepoorlydevelopedinspiteoftheirabundantnaturalresources.Thereiswidespreadpovertythoughtheirpeopletoilandsweat.Whatreallypreventsusfromleavingthebeatentrackandventuringuponanewpath?Thequestionisnotwhowouldallowusbutrather,whocanstopus?

SUMMARY

Weneedtoadapttheimplementationofourprogrammesandpoliciesintoamissionmodetosucceed.Progresscannotbeswiftandfar-reachingifthepathisfullofpotholes.Theabundantnationalresources,humanandmaterial,remaintobefullyutilized.

8

BuildingaNewState

IfIweretolookoverthewholeworldtofindoutthecountrymostrichlyendowedwithallthewealth,powerandbeautythatnaturecanbestow—insomepartsaveryparadiseonearth—IshouldpointtoIndia.

—F.MaxMüller

IbeganthisbookwithmytraveltoJharkhandstateinthemonthofSeptember2001.Thatwasmyfourthvisit.Thefirsttwovisitsbroughtmeveryclosetothecorecompetencethatthisstatepossesses.IhavebeenmadepatronoftheScienceandTechnologyCouncilofthisstate.Mypurposeonthisvisitwastoworkoutadevelopmentalprogrammeintheareaofherbs,forestproductsandothernaturalresourcesaftermeetingwiththeChiefMinister,BabuLalMarandi,theMinisterforScienceandTechnology,SamareshSingh,andconcernedofficials.WhenIlandedatRanchiagroupofboysandgirlsgreetedmewithlotsofflowers.Iwasquitemovedbytheirregardforasimplescientistandtheirtrustinhisdreams.IalsomettheGovernor,PrabhatKumar,whotoldmeaboutthehard-workingnatureofthepeopleandtheforestwealthofthestate.Irecalledmyearliervisittothehillregionabout75kmawayfromRanchi.

Prof.Basuwasspearheadingaprogrammeorientedtowardschildren’seducationandhealth.AsImetthepeopleofthehillregion,youngandold,inthevillagecomplex,sittinglikethemontheground,onethingwascleartome:mypresenceherewasordained.Thecomponentsfordevelopmentwereallthere–afertileareawithgoodrainfall,talltreesandrichvegetation,andpeoplewhowerewillingtoworkhard.Theirfaceswerelitupwithhappinesssopureitisrarelyseenanymore,inthecitiesatleast.Howevertheirbodieslookedtired,showingsignsofexcessworkforabarelivelihood.

Onthisvisit,wemadesomeheadwayindrawingupaviableplanfordevelopingaherbaldrugsindustryinthestate.Wediscussedindetailwithvariousofficialsplansforherbalfarmsandmarketingtheherbstodrugproducers.Ourpurposewasthatthedrugsbemanufacturedwithinthestateitselfsoastoprovideincreasedincometothestatefromvalueadditionasalsoboostindustrythere.Thiswasanewexperimentforthestateandalsoforourmission,butonethat,givenourexperienceinmissionmanagement,offerstremendousscopeforJharkhandtoenterintothreeareasinabigway–floriculture,herbsandherbalproducts.AfterthemeetingwestartedforBokaro,thesteelcity.Theweatherwas

cloudyandwewonderediftheflightwouldbecancelled.WereachedRanchiAirportat2.30intheafternoon.APawanHanshelicopterhadbeenhiredbythestategovernment.Iaskedthepilotwhetherwecouldflyinthisweather.Allsmiles,thepilotpromisedmeabeautifulflightandsothehelicoptertookoff,withmyselfandtwootherpassengers.Ihaveoftenflowninahelicopterbutdidfindtheweatherparticularlyrough

onthisoccasion.However,thepilotwasskilfulandIevencongratulatedhimatonepointforkeepingtheflightsmoothinspiteoftheturbulence.Itwasamarvellousexperienceasweflewovervaststretchesofforestandhillsandstreams.Iwasstruckbythecleanenvironment.Iwonderedwhetherthispreciousnaturalwealthcouldbeconservedfrommindlessdestructionforshort-termbusinessgains.Withsuchthoughtsinmymind,Inoticedthatwehadstarteddescending.SuddenlyIfoundthetwopilotsinagitateddiscussionregardingthefalling

RPMcount.Ibecamealertmyself.Lookingdown,Icouldseealargenumberofcarsandpeopleeverywhere.Thenthecrash;thehelicopterhitthegroundwithashatteringsound.BrokenpartsflewaroundusandIcouldseefireenginesrushtowardsus.Isimplygotoutofthehelicopterthathadhitthegroundasadeadweight.

Fortunatelytheenginefailedwhilewewerequiteclosetotheground.Haditfailedmomentsearlierwecouldhaveperishedundertheimpactofthefreefall.Thepilotswereinastateofshockandlookedatmehelplessly.Iheldtheirhandsandthankedthem.Isaid,sometimesithappenswithflyingmachinesandaspilotstheyhavetofaceitwithcourage.

IhadtoaddresstheChinmayaVidyalayastudentsandtheywouldallbewaiting,sowerushedtotheschoolleavingbehindthecrashandtheshock.Theschool’sprincipal,Krishnaswami,receivedmeandthestudentsshoweredrosepetalsasIwalkedtothedaisthroughtheauditorium.Newsofthecrashhadprecededmyarrival.Thechildrensatinpindropsilence.ToeasethetensionItoldtheyounggathering,‘Friends,whenIwastravelling

fromRanchitohere,IadmiredGod’sgreatgifttothestate.Underthegroundandaboveit,youhavemineralsinabundance.TherichsoiloftheJharkhandplainscangivebountifulcrops.WhenIwasflyingoverthelovelyforestsandthevalleysandhillsthethoughtofthewealththeyholdintermsofforestandherbalproductswasveryreassuring.OnthegroundIsawafullyoperationalsteelplant.NowwhatIseeinfrontofmeandwhatthenewstateisfamousforisitsindustriouspeople.Sothisstatehasallthewealthneeded.Itisalandwaitingforatransformationtooccur.Iseeinthefuture,villagesthatwillbeprovidedwithurbanfacilitiesandareself-containedinrespectofeducation,healthandoccupation.Today’sincidentwillhelpdefinemyremaininglife’smission.Iforgotmyinconvenienceduringthelandingafterseeingthestate’swealth.Howcanyouusethiscorecompetencetobecomeadevelopedstate?Forthatyouhavetoworkinthemissionmode.’Atthetimethesechildrenwouldbeenteringadultlifeandtakingupcareers,

theycouldbepartofanationalendeavourtobecomingaknowledgesociety.Theircontributiontothestateitselfcouldbetremendous.Thatshouldbetheirgoal:tomakeJharkhandgreat.OnethingthatcametomindconstantlyasIwentroundtheexhibitionputup

bythechildrenandwatchedtheirperformances–includingamarvellouspeacockdance–washowimportantitwastoimprovetheeducationsystemsothatitdidnotstiflethesepowerhousesofcreativity.IfeltthisisoneareaImustworkuponwiththestateandtheCentre.IcontinuedwithmyotherengagementsafterthefunctionattheChinmaya

Vidyalaya.TherewasameetingdueatthetownhallandIwentthere,brushingasidetheconcernofthedoctorsthoughtfullysentbytheGeneralManageroftheBokaroSteelPlanttolookaftermywell-being.AtthetownhallthesubjectIhadtospeakonwas‘Jharkhand’sCoreCompetenceandIndustries’.Ikeptmyspeechshort,preferringtoletadiscussiondevelop.

Meanwhile,theelectronicmediahaddoneitsjob!Astherewasastrongmediapresencetocoverourarrival,newsofthecrashtravelledquicklythroughoutthecountry.IstartedreceivingcallsonmymobilephonetofindoutwhetherIwasallright.IdidnotwanttodisturbthemeetingandgavethemobilephonetoDrVijayaraghavan,whobythenhadreachedbyroadfromRanchi.IaskedhimtocallmyelderbrotherinRameswaram,whoiseighty-sixyearsold,andtellhimIwasfine.TheothercallIaskedhimtomakewastomypersonalsecretarySheridontohandlethecallsthatwouldcomein.AsIwasgivingmytalkDrVijayaraghavanpassedanotetome.‘Yourbrother

isnotconvincedthatyouareOK.IfyouareOKhehastohearyourvoice.’Anelderbrotherremainselderallyourlife!Iinterruptedmyspeechtoreassuremybrother.Tocomebacktothediscussionatthetownhallmeeting,Iwasaskedavery

pertinentquestionfromtheaudience.‘DrKalam,’thequestionersaid,‘couldyoupleasetellmewhyisrawmaterialexportedfrommanyportsspeciallydesignedforthispurpose?’ThiswasspeciallyrelevanttoJharkhandwithitshugestorehouseofmineralwealth.Inanswer,InarratedaconversationIhadinGoa.Iwasonaboatcrossingtheharbour,onmywaytotheuniversityforaconvocationaddress,andaccompanyingmewasDrJosePaul,ChairmanoftheMormugaoPortTrust.WestarteddiscussingironoreexportstoJapan,muchofwhichtakeplacefromPanjim.Hetoldme,30milliontonnesofironoreisexportedannuallyfromthefourports;ofthis17milliontonnesisexportedfromMormugaoalone.Theoreissoldatratheralowprice–afewdollarsatonne–as,accordingtothebuyers,itisofinferiorquality.Assuch,itssaledidnotcontributeanythingmuchtotheeconomy.Thesameore,utilizedhere,would,ofcourse,generatefarmoreincomebecauseofvalueaddition.‘Whatisvalueadditionandcouldyougiveanexample?’Iwasaskedin

Bokaroandapowerfulexamplecametomymind.Whenwewereworkingonthesatellitelaunchvehiclesinthe1970s,arequirementaroseforberylliumdiaphragms.Theseareusedingyros,sensorsusedtodeterminetheattitude(thepositionofanaircraftinrelationtospecifieddirections)oftherocketsormissileswhentheyareinflight.Asthesewerenotavailablewithus,aprocurementteamwasformedtopurchasethemintheinternationalmarket.TheteamwasheadedbyT.N.Seshan,betterknownnowastheformerChiefElection

CommissionerofIndia,withMadhavanNair,DrS.C.GuptaandIasmembers.WestruckadealwithacompanyinNewYorkforahundredberylliumdiaphragms.Threemonthslater,wegotamessagefromthecompanythatsinceberyllium

diaphragmsareusedtomakegyrosmountedonintercontinentalballisticmissiles,theydidnothavepermissionfromtheStateDepartmenttosupplythemtoIndia.Weimmediatelyinitiatedactiontoredresstheprobleminourtypicalfire-fightingmanner.Technologydeniedwas,tous,technologygained.Meanwhile,itemergedthatIndiahasoneofthelargestdepositsofberyllium

ore.TheorewasexportedinthosedaystoJapan,whoprocessedtheoreintoberylliumrodsandsheetsandexportedthemtoUScompaniestotransformthemintoberylliumproductssuchasdiaphragms!Ireceivedtheshockofmylife:thiswasmaterialminedinIndiaandexportedtoJapan,whoprocesseditandexportedittotheUS,andtheUScompanyrefusedtogiveittoIndia.Wherewasoursenseofinitiative?Whathadhappenedtoouraims?Theissuefiguredprominentlyinthepressandexportofberylliumorewasstopped.Thesamestoryisrepeatedinotherareas.TheupshotisthatIndiaispoorasa

nationinspiteofitsenormouswealthbecauseitdoesnotfocusonvalueaddition,beitinmineralorbiodiversityproductsorevengrainorfish.Inthecaseofberylliumore,valueadditionbyatleasttentimestakesplaceinrefinementitself.Valueadditionbyatleast100timesisachievedduringproductconversion.AndthisiswhatwewouldbepayingJapanortheUS,forsomethingthatoriginatedfromIndiaitself.Itisthesamewithironore,andmanyotherexports;onlythescaleofvalueadditionvaries.Itisalessonthatmustbequicklylearnt.Atthesamemeeting,anotherinterestingquestioncameup.‘Doyouthinkin

politics,purityispossible?’Itwasalittleoutsidemypurviewbuttherewasoneaspecttoit,raisedearlier,whichIwouldliketomention.Thisaspectisthatanentiregenerationofpeoplerepresentingexcellenceinallfields–politics,industry,sciences,thearts–emergedintheyearsleadingtoindependence.MahatmaGandhi,C.V.Raman,J.R.D.Tata,PirojshaB.Godrej,LaxmanraoKirloskar,RamakrishnaBajaj,RabindranathTagore,DrS.Radhakrishnan,MadanMohanMalviya…itisalonglist.Suddenlytherewasexcellencein

everysphereofsocietyandthecircumstancemakingsuchfloweringpossiblewasthevisionthatthenationhadsetforitself.Ibelieveifthenationformsasecondvisiontoday,leadersofastaturetosuit

ourambitionwillappearonceagain,inallwalksoflife,includingpolitics.Thenextday,ItravelledtoBokaroSteelPlant,thelargeststeelplantinIndia.

TheGeneralManageroftheplant,MrTiwari,accompaniedme.Thescaleoftheplantwasbreathtaking.Isawhundredsofmenworkinginanorganizedwayasthesweatpouredofftheirbodies,whilethemoltensteelflowedfromthefurnacelikeariveronfire.Theironorewouldbeavailableforyears,Iwastold.ImpressiveastheplantwasIwasdisappointedtoseethattherewerenoindustrialestatesaroundit,utilizingthesteelproducedheretomakevariousproducts.Iwastoldthatsettingupofindustrialestatescameunderstatepurview.Itbroughtbackmyoldregretatourcompartmentalizedthinking.Whythisfragmentedgovernancewhereoneagencyisalienatedfromanother?Unlessdevelopmentisdirectedtowardsstate-basedindustries,workingonhugenationalmissionsthroughcentralizedplanningwillnotdomuchforrealprosperity.OntheflightbacktoDelhi,IwonderedhowJharkhandcouldbestbehelped.

Whatwasneededwereafewmajormissionstotransformthestateandatime-frame.ThestateandtheCentrewouldneedtomakeanintegratedeffort.Woulditbepossible?LetmegobacktomyexperienceintheSLV-3missileandweapons

developmentprogrammes.TheyillustratewhatImeanbyanintegratedapproach.Tosucceedintheseefforts,wehadtoadoptamulti-organizationalmissionmode.Buildingarocketisalongprocessfromthedrawingboardtodevelopmentandlaunch.Allthroughtheprocess,anumberofreliabilityfactorsmatter.Thefirststageisarobustboosterrocketsystem.BeforeRohiniwasputintoorbit,theboosterrockethadgonethroughfivestatictrialsintheflighthardwareinfullscale,andithadalsobeentriedoutduringtwoexperimentalflights.Thatmeansaproven,developedboosterwasavailablewhenthetimecameforlaunch.AnIRBMwasnotdemandedbyanyonewhenthemissileprogrammewas

conceivedin1982.However,theavailabilityoftheSLV-3boosterledtothebuildingofatechnologydemonstrator–Agni–aspartoftheapproved

programme.Agniwaslaunchedsuccessfullyin1989atamoderatebudgetofRs36crore!NobodyintheworldcouldhaveanticipatedIndiaacquiringIRBMcapabilityintheshortperiodofsixyears.IthappenedonlybecausetheAgnimissionwasorganizedintoamulti-institutionalprogramme.Myassessmentbasedonvariousspaceanddefenceprojectsdoneasmission

modeprogrammesisthatintensivepartnershipbetweenvariousparticipants–governmentdepartments,industry,researchinstitutions–bringsfasterdevelopmentatlowercost.Thesameholdsinotherprojectsandschemes.Centralandstateprojectsintegratedasmissionmodeoperationswillbringrapiddevelopmentatminimumcost.Whatiskeepingusfromtakingthisconceptfurther?Doesitsoundriskyto

abandonthetime-testedrouteofchecksandbalancesandgoinforatightropewalk?Orisitthatgoingintomissionmodewoulddemandaresponsibility:Eitheronehastoshowtheresultorquit?InOctober2001,IgottheopportunitytovisitGuruGobindSingh

IndraprasthaUniversityinDelhi.ThetopicIselectedformyaddresstothestudentswas‘ResponsibleYoungCitizens’.IputforththeimportanceofIndiabecomingaknowledgesociety.Afterthetalk,onestudentaskedmeanimportantquestion,‘CouldyoutellmewhyIndians,particularlyeducatedIndians,excelwhentheygototheUSAandEurope?Theybecomerichalso.’Isaid,‘Recently,Ireadabook–TheHorsethatFlewbyChidanandRajghatta

whichisaboutIndianswhohavesucceededintheITfield,especiallyinAmerica.OnequalityInoticedinallofthosewhoexcelledwasthattheydidnotworksolo.Theyworkedwiththeircolleagues,irrespectiveofreligiousorotherdifferences,andtheywerenotafraidtotakerisks,startingwiththeriskofgoingtoaforeignland.’ImetB.Chandrasekhar,whohasbeenabigsuccessasanentrepreneurin

SiliconValley,whenhecontributedtoouralmamater,MadrasInstituteofTechnology(whoseacronym,MIT,isthesameasthatofthefamousinstituteatMassachusetts)tostartanInternetTechnologyCentre.OnefinemorningChandrasekharsoldhis10-billion-dollarcompanytostartanotherenterprise.WhenIaskedhimhowhetooksuchchancestobuildhisenterprise,Chandrasekhartoldmehelovedtakingrisks.Therewasoneotheraspecttothe

successofhisandothercompanies.Forthemsurvivaldependedonperformance.Andthebettertheyperformed,therichertheybecame.Ihaveanexperiencetotellinthisregard.Itwas1955.Iwasinthesecond

yearofmycourseinAeronauticalEngineeringinMadrasInstituteofTechnology.OurDirectorwasDrN.Srinivasan,anaeronauticalengineerhimself.Iwasworkingonaprojectsurpervisedbyhimondesigningalow-levelattackaircraft.Aseven-memberstudentteamwasallottedthistask.Threeofthem–Vivekanandan,MahabaleshwarBhatandI–weregiventhetaskofsystemintegration.Ourteamwassupposedtoprovidethedesignreportwithallthedrawingsinthreemonths’time.Becausedataontheengine,controlsystemandsomeothersub-systemdrawingscomingfrommyfriendsgotdelayed,Ialsogotdelayedbymorethantwoweeksinsubmittingmydrawings.ItwasahumideveninginthemonthofAugust.Iwasworkingonthedrawing

board.DrSrinivasan,onhiswaytothetenniscourt,peepedintomyroomandlookedatmywork.HerealizedthatIwasnowherenearcompletion.Hesaid,‘Kalam,ifyoudonotcompleteitinthreedays’timeyourscholarshipwillbestopped.’Thatwasabigjoltforme.Thescholarshipwasmylifeline,asmyfather

couldnotaffordthehighcostofeducationatMIT.Ihadtomakethebestuseofthetimeavailable.Threedayswastooshortatimetocompleteit.Iwouldhavetoworkcontinuously.AndthisiswhatIdecidedtodo.Isleptonabenchinthecollegeforthreenightsandwentoutonlyforfood.Exactlyafterthreedays,DrSrinivasanvisitedmydrawingboard.Hespent

nearlyonehourexaminingwhatIhaddoneandsaid,‘Thisisgood.Youhaveperformedafewweeks’workinafewdays.’Comingfromhim,itwasagreatcompliment.Irealizedthenthatifsomethingisatstake,thehumanmindgetsignitedand

workingcapacitygetsenhancedmanifold.Challengesthrowupopportunities.Onceoneselectsatask,oneshouldgetimmersedinit.Eitheryouwillsucceedorfail;thatriskwillalwaysbethere.Thisshouldnotdeteryou.Whenyoufail,youstillhavetheexperiencegainedtodrawuponinthefuture.Startbyriskingyourownpositionforamission.EitherIdeliverorIgo.

Prepareyourselffortheendeavour.Witheffortandperseveranceyouwillsucceed.Thereisalwaysariskinvolvedwhenweventureintosomethingnew.

Afterall,theprocessofbirthitselfisariskyaffair.Butthentheinfantstartsbreathing…andlifefollows,withallitshopesandaspirations.Breatheinthoughtsofsuccessandyouwillbeasuccess.

SUMMARY

Thewaytodevelopmentisthroughpurposefulactivity.Theyoungespeciallyhavetobeguidedproperly,sothattheirlivesfindaproperdirectionandtheircreativityisallowedtoflower.Tofacilitatethis,certaineducationalreformsmustbeinitiated.Withregardtoimprovingthepaceofdevelopment,Centre-stateeffortsshould

becoordinatedinafewkeyareasandeffortsacrosssectorsandorganizationsintegratedandtakenupinamissionmode.Themindsetmustchange,showingwillingnesstotakepragmaticrisks.Successwillfollow.

9

ToMyCountrymen

WherethemindiswithoutfearandtheheadisheldhighWhereknowledgeisfreeWheretheworldhasnotbeenbrokenupintofragments….MyFather,letmycountryawake.

—RabindranathTagore

AllthroughthisbookIhavespokenaboutthepoweroftheimagination.Itliesattheheartofthecreativeprocessandistheverysubstanceoflife,alliedasitistothepowertoattracttouswhatwemostdesire.Thispowermakesallthedifferencebetweenthewinnersandthelosers.Iwouldliketoseeintwentyyearsaliterateandpoverty-freeIndia.IdreamofanIndiagovernedbynobleleaders.Idreamofasystemwheretheworkofscientistsandtechnologistsisfocussedonspecificmissionsdrivenbygoalsrelevanttothecommonman.Howisthisdreamtobemadereal?Weneedtorealizethatmissionsarealwaysbiggerthanorganizations,justas

organizationsarealwaysbiggerthantheindividualswhorunthem.Missionsneedeffortandthemindprovidesthepurpose.Seenthisway,consider,whichdepartmentorministrywilltakemantoMarsandbuildahabitatthere?Can200,000MWofelectricpowerbegeneratedbyisolatedeffortsinthermal,hydroelectric,nuclearandnon-conventionalsectorswithoutanintegratedeffort?Canthesecondgreenrevolutionhappenwithoutagriculturalscientists,bio-technologistsandirrigationexpertsworkingtogether?Withoutproperdiagnosticfacilitiesinclinicsandaffordabledrugsreachingourmasses,ourbiotechnologylaboratoriesandmedicalcouncilswillcontinuetoperpetuateeachother’ssurvivalwithoutservingthepurposeoftheirexistence:tosetinplacethe

mostadvancedmedicalfacilitiesandmaketheseavailabletothepeopleatreasonableprices.Ihavedweltuponmyownexperiencesthatmademeawareoftheenergy

fieldwhichiscreatedbyavision.Itisapowerthatarisesfromdeepwithinyou.Thispoweristhebasisforthemovementtowardsexcellencewesawatthetimeofindependence.Ihavebeentouchedbythispoweronmanyoccasionswhilefacingachallenge.Pre-independenceIndiareverberatedwithit.Ithelpedushumbleamightyempire.JamshedjiNusserwanjiTatabroughtthesteelindustrytoIndiaeventhough

theBritishrulerswerenotfavourablydisposedtotheidea.AcharyaP.C.Raynurturedthechemicalandpharmaceuticalindustries.WesawthebirthofmanygreatinstitutionsliketheIndianInstituteofScience,Bangalore,startedbyJ.N.Tata,theBanarasHinduUniversityestablishedbyPanditMadanMohanMalaviya,andAligarhMuslimUniversitysetupbySirSyedAhmadKhan.Someoftheprogressivemaharajastoosetupuniversities,asinBaroda.Therearemanyexamples.Inallthesecases,themotivationwastoseeIndiacomeupintheworld,todemonstratethat‘Indiacandoit’.Areweinapositiontocontinuethatwork,revivethatspiritofenterprise?

ShallweeverseecarsdesignedandmanufacturedinIndiadottingtheroadsinFrankfurtorSeoul?OrIndiansatellitelaunchvehiclesplacecommunication,weatherandremotesensingsatellitesofothernationsinorbit?OrseeIndiabuildpowerstationsfortheUSA,JapanandChina?Thepossibilitywillremainremoteifwestaywiththepresenttrendoflowaim.Todaywearewitnessinggoodprogressinthesoftwaresectorbutalmostallof

thehardwareisimported.Canwerisehigheronthevaluescalethere?CanIndiadesignanoperatingsystemthatwillbecomeahouseholdnameintheworldofcomputers?Ourexportsconsisttoalargeextentoflow-valuerawmaterialsuchasironoreandalumina.Canwenotconverttheseintoawiderangeofproductsthatfindaninternationalmarket?WehavehundredsofdefenceproductionindustriesbutwhydoesIndianotmanufactureandmarkettheMainBattleTank,missiles,aircraft,gunsandotherdefenceequipment?Wehavethemostimportantcorecompetenceintheformofourmultifacetedmanpowerandbasicinfrastructure.Whatisthatwedon’thave?

Letusthinkwhatpreventsusinundertakingsuchchallenges.Wehavetoanalysehowwecangiveanewdimensiontoourstyleoffunctioning,bycuttingacrosstheindividualinterestsofvariousministriesandevenindustriesandinstitutions,tofollowanintegratedactionplan.Themotiveforcehastobeloveforthecountry.Weneedavisionthatissharedbytheentirenation.Inthedrivefordevelopment,somestatesarefaringbetterthanothersinthe

country.Brightyoungentrepreneurshaveenergizedthenationaltechnologyscene.Bangalore,Chennai,Mumbai,DelhiandHyderabadarehubsofbusinessactivity.ButeventhoughtheITsectorisaveryvisibleareaofsuccessandhasbroughtinsomecapitalinvestment,intermsofoveralldevelopmentthisisnotenough.EvenifyoutakeuptheITareaasamission,manpoweristhemostimportantneed.Thoselivingawayfromthecitiesmustalsohaveaccesstoagoodeducationtojointhetalentpool.Andthisshouldhappenfast.Myvisitstothenortheasternstates–TripuraandAssam–andtoJharkhand

showedmeouruntappedpotential.Tripura’seconomyrestsonforestproducts,includingbamboocultivation.Itisrichinmineralwealth,asalsoinnaturalgas.Butthetransportfacilitiesareinbadshape.Itisdifficulttotravel,interactandorganizebusiness.Thereisisolation.InJharkhandtoothereismineralwealthbesidesitsresourcesintermsofforestryproductsandhandicrafts,allofwhichneedtobedeveloped.InAssam,thereisnoshortageofresourcesandthestatehasgoodeducationalinfrastructure.Alltheingredientsrequiredforadevelopedeconomyaretherebutthereisinsurgencyandunrestamongpeople.Afocussedmissionwillintegratepeople.StatessuchasTamilNadu,AndhraPradesh,PunjabandKarnatakahavemade

merealizethatmuchcanbeachievedonceeffortsaremadetochanneldevelopmentfundsforimprovementinareassuchaseducationandhealth.Theseandotherstatescanbecomegoodexamplesofeconomicdevelopment.Ourintellectualforums,politicalplatforms,academicinstitutionsand

chambersofcommercearefullofdiscussionanddebate.Thereisnoise,alotofitinfact.Thereareendlessdebates,arguments,hypotheses,andtheories,andyetthereislittleprogress.However,thethemeofadevelopedIndiaisnotdiscussedinboardroomsandtechnologyconferences.Iwantallofus–institutions,politicalparties,industries,communities,families,individuals–ateveryleveltotakefullresponsibilityforwhatisgoodorbadinoursituation,forwhatwe

possessandthatwhichwedonot.Thiswouldmeanthatwestopblamingothersforthecircumstanceswefindourselvesin.Takingresponsibilityalsomeansawillingnesstoexerciseourabilitiestothefullest.Thiswillmakeusworthyofenjoyingthebenefitsthatcomewitheffort.WhatIhavetriedtotellyouinthisbookisthatwemustbeawareofour

higherselfandviewourselvesascitizensofadevelopednation.Weareagreatcivilizationandeachoneofusbornheremusttrustinthewisdomofthiscivilization.Ourscripturestellusthatthereisnobarrierbetweenusandtheworld,thatwearetheworldjustastheworldisinus.Itisforyoutoputyourselfintunewiththemusicoftheuniverse.ThereareafewpointsIwouldliketomention.Theneedsofanation’speoplearebiggerandmuchmoreimportantthanany

otherconsiderations.ThemissionofParliamentisthatithastobealiveanddynamicoverissuesvitaltotheexistenceofourverynationhood.Ourfreedomdidnotcomeasagift.Thewholecountrystruggledfordecadestoachievethefirstvisionofindependence,sowehavetoprotectit.Therewereexcellentleadersinallwalksoflife–science,educationandindustry.Topreservethisfreedomfromintrudersandotherswhowouldcompromiseitisourboundendutyandnotamatterofchoiceandconvenience.Noideologyisabovethesecurityandprosperityofourcountry.Noagendaismoreimportantthanharmonyamongthepeople.StudentsshouldgetreadytotransformIndiaintoadevelopednation.Ignite

yourmindsandthinkbig.Ateacheroncesaid,‘Givemeafive-year-oldchild.Aftersevenyears,noGod

orDevilwillbeabletochangethechild.’Willallteachersbesuchgurus?Theadministratorshaveagreatopportunitytolinkthepeopleandpolitical

leaders.Theyshouldalwaystakedecisionsthataregoodforthepeople.Ibelieveitisonlyexecutiveslikeempowereddistrictcollectorswhocanassisttransformation.Thestate-Centralintegratedfundhastobedeployedinmissionmodeprogrammes.Fiftyyearsafterindependence,theresultsofscientificefforthavenotreached

thepeopletotheextentrequired.Itistimetheadvancesinscienceandtechnologyaredeployedinabigwaytotransformrurallife.

Globalcompetitionison,beitWTO,competitionfrommultinationalsorChina.Forindustrialists,competingwithhigh-performanceandcost-effectiveproductswillresultingrowthfortheindustry.Competitivenessandinnovationarethetwopillarsofindustrialgrowth.Industriesbyworkingtogethercangeneratemultinationalinstitutions,reversingthepresenttrend.TheITcommunity,byitsinnovativenesshasgivenIndiastatureintheworld.

IndiaisacompetitivenationinITtoday.ITmustbeusedforhealthcare,telemedicine,toremoveilliteracy,generateskillsandfore-governanceandtele-education.TransformthenationintoaknowledgesocietywithITasthelinkingtool.Finally,thefarmershavegiventhiscountrysurplusfoodwiththeirsweat.

Timehascomefortwoeventstotakeplaceinagriculturesector.One,thevalueadditionofallagricultureproducts.Thesecondistoimprovethequalityofagricultureproductsandcompeteintheworldmarket.Aboveallmarketingitselfisagreatbusinesstool;wehavetocreateanewcadreforthispurpose.Thesestepswillbringrelieftothefarmers.AndtoGodtheAlmighty!Makemypeoplesweat.Lettheirtoilcreatemany

moreAgnisthatcanannihilateevil.Letmycountryprosperinpeace.Letmypeopleliveinharmony.LetmegotodustasaproudcitizenofIndia,toriseagainandrejoiceinitsglory.

Epilogue

Iwasthinkingwhatcansummarizethebookaptly.IrecallreadingastoryontheInternetaboutaconversationbetweentwobabies–EgoandSpirit–whileinthewomb.SpiritsaystoEgo,‘Iknowyouaregoingtofindthishardtoaccept,butI

believethereislifeafterbirth.’Egoresponds,‘Don’tbefoolish.Lookaroundyou.Thisisallthereis.Why

mustyoualwaysbethinkingaboutsomethingbeyondthisreality?Acceptyourlotinlife.’Spiritquietensdownforawhile,butnotforlong.‘Ego,nowdon’tgetangry,

butIalsobelievethatthereisaMother.’‘AMother!’Egolaughs.‘Howcanyousaythat?You’veneverseenaMother,

youdon’tknowwhatMotheris.Whycan’tyouacceptthatthisisallthereis?Youareherealonewithme.Thisisyourreality.’‘Ego,’Spiritbegs,‘pleaselisten.Whataboutthoseconstantpressuresweboth

feel,thosemovementsthatmakeussouncomfortablesometimes,thefeelingthatwearebeingsqueezedinaswegrow?Ithinkweshallsoonhaveanewlife,thatweshallseelight.’Egoreplies,‘Youhaveneverseenlight.Howdoyouknowwhatitis?These

pressuresanddarknessiswhatlifeisabout.’SpirittriesnottobotherEgoagainbutcannotresistonelasttry.‘Ego,’she

says,‘Iwillnotbotheryouagain.ButIdobelievethatafterallthisdiscomfortnotonlyshallweseelightbutalsoexperiencetheblissofmeetingMother.’Ego’sreplyis,ofcourse,thatSpiritistrulymad.WhatIwanttotellthepeopleofmycountrythroughthisbookisthatthey

mustneverbecontentwiththatwhichhasbeenpresentedtotheminthelastfiftyyearssinceourindependence.WhenIwasonthevergeofcompletingthisbook,somebodyraisedaveryimportantpointwithme.Whileaddressing1,500

studentsatPresidencyCollege,Chennai,onthetheme‘NationHastoHaveVision’,aseriesofquestionscamefromthestudentsonnationaldevelopment,politicalleadership,scienceandtechnology’scontribution,educationandthelearningprocessandsoon.Afterthesession,comingoutoftheauditorium,avisiblyhappygatheringofstudentswastryingtoreachmetoshakehands.WhileIwasmanoeuvringtoleave,suddenlyoneyoungstudentpushedthroughthecrowdandthrustacrumpledpaperinmyhand.Iputitinmypocketandreaditinthecar.MymindgotelevatedwiththepowerofthemessagefromT.SaravanandoingM.PhilZoologyatPresidencyCollege.Iwouldliketoshareitwithallofyou.Theletterread:

‘DearSir‘Thefullpowerofabanyantreeisequaltothepowerintheseedsofthetree.Inawaybothofus,youandme,arethesame.Butweexhibitourtalentsindifferentforms.Afewoftheseedsdirectlyflourishasbanyantreesandmanyseedsdie.Sometimes,theseeds,duetocertaincircumstancesandenvironmentalconditions,getdamagedandbecomepartofthesoilasmanure,makingthenextgenerationstrongerandmorepowerful,thusexhibitingitsaimofachievinggreaterheights.‘Youhaveworkedforthecountryandhelpedmanyscientists,engineersandknowledge

workers.Canyoutellmehowyouensuredthattheirabilitieswerenotwastedortheirgrowthwasnotstuntedprematurelyassomeoftheseed?Inthisservice,whatisthepercentageofsuccessyoucanclaim?’

Myreplythesamedaysaid:

‘DearSaravanan,‘Ihavereadandre-readyourpowerfulmessageandquestionmanytimes.IspenttwentyyearsinISROandtwentyyearsinDRDOmakingrockets,launchvehiclesandmissiles.Ihaveseenmanysuccessesandalsoafewfailures.Ihaveworkedwithmanyscientists,engineersandtechniciansasunitedteamstoachievegoalsinashorttime.Thecombinedpoweroftheteamhasseenthosesuccessesandlearntfromthefailures.Icouldseesomeofmyteammembersexcellingmeinknowledgeanddeed.Thisgavemeimmensehappiness.’

Saravanan’smessagegivesallofusatremendousresponsibility.Leadersmustensurethattheyoungergenerationisbetterthanthemandnotsubjectthemtocircumstancesthatwillstunttheirgrowth.Aboveall,protectionoftheyoungfromfailuresinscientificdevelopmentsandconstantencouragementareessentialtoensurethatscientists,technologistsorthoseworkinginanyfieldgrowandworkforthenation.

Iwouldliketoconcludethisbookwithananswertoonelastquestion,askedofmeonId.Thequestionwas:Whatprayerdidyousayonthisoccasion?Ireplied,apartfromprayingforthehealthandhappinessofmyteachers,

friendsandrelatives,Isaidthisprayer:‘OAlmighty,createthoughtsandactionsinthemindsofthepeopleofmynationsothattheyliveunited.

Helpallreligiousleadersofmycountrygivestrengthtothepeopletocombattheforcesofdivision.

Embedthethought“NationisbiggerthantheIndividual”inthemindsoftheleadersandpeople.

OGodblessmypeopletoworkandtransformthecountryintoaprosperousnationsoon.’

Ihaveconveyedthemessageoverleaftonearly40,000schoolchildreninChennai,Porbandar,Rajkot,Jamshedpur,Bhubaneshwar,Dindigul,AbuRoad,Anand,Udaipurandmanyotherplacessofar.Ihopetoreach100,000youngmindsbeforeAugust2003.Whenthousandsrecitethis,IseethedevelopedIndia.

SongofYouth

MEANDMYNATION–INDIA

AsayoungcitizenofIndia,armedwithtechnology,knowledgeandloveformynation,Irealize,smallaimisacrime.

Iwillworkandsweatforagreatvision,thevisionoftransformingIndiaintoadevelopednationpoweredbyeconomicstrengthwithvaluesystem.

Iamoneofthecitizensofabillion,onlythevisionwillignitethebillionsouls.Ithasenteredintome,theignitedsoulcomparedtoanyresource,isthemostpowerfulresourceontheearth,abovetheearthandundertheearth.

Iwillkeepthelampofknowledgeburningtoachievethevision—DevelopedIndia.

References

1.WingsofFire:AnAutobiography,A.P.J.AbdulKalamwithArunTiwari.UniversitiesPress(India)Pvt.Ltd.,1999.

2.India2020:AVisionfortheNewMillennium,A.P.J.AbdulKalamandY.S.Rajan.Viking,1998.

3.MantheUnknown,AlexisCarrel.

4.Thirukkural,Thiruvalluvar.

5.LightfromManyLamps,LillianEichlerWatson.Fireside,1988.

6.Chandra:ABiographyofS.Chandrasekhar,KameshwarC.Wali.UniversityofChicagoPress,1992.

7.TheHorseThatFlew,ChidanandRajghatta.HarperCollinsIndia,2001.

8.EmpiresoftheMind,DenisWaitley.NicholasBrealeyPublishing,1995.

9.AnUnfinishedDream,DrVergheseKurien.TataMcGrawHill,1997.

10.ManifestYourDestiny,DrWayneW.Dyer.HarperCollins,1997.

11.Consilience,EdwardO.Wilson.VintageBooks,1999.

12.IndiaasKnowledgeSuperpower,TaskForceReporttoPlanningCommission,2001.

13.TechnologyVision2020,TIFACTaskForceReports,1996.

14.‘ANewKnowledgeSociety’,DrA.P.J.AbdulKalam,2000.

15.Reporton‘Rurbanization’,Prof.P.V.Indiresan,2000.

Acknowledgements

Ihavelistedsomeofthebooksthatwereusefultomeinthewritingofthisbook.IwouldliketomentionthreebookswhoseideasIfoundspeciallyrelevanttomytheme.TheywereChandra:ABiographyofS.ChandrasekharbyKameshwarC.Wali,PenguinBooks;EmpiresoftheMindbyDenisWaitley,NicholasBrealeyPublishing;andManifestYourDestinybyDrWayneW.Dyer,HarperCollins.SomeofDrDyer’sideasonindividualachievementIfoundusefulinaddressingthethemeofanation’sawakeningtoitspotential.TheotherbooksthatIconsultedarelistedinthereferences.

PENGUINBOOKSPublishedbythePenguinGroupPenguinBooksIndiaPvt.Ltd,11CommunityCentre,PanchsheelPark,NewDelhi110017,IndiaPenguinGroup(USA)Inc.,375HudsonStreet,NewYork,NewYork10014,USAPenguinGroup(Canada),90EglintonAvenueEast,Suite700,Toronto,Ontario,M4P2Y3,Canada(adivisionofPearsonPenguinCanadaInc.)PenguinBooksLtd,80Strand,LondonWC2R0RL,EnglandPenguinIreland,25StStephen’sGreen,Dublin2,Ireland(adivisionofPenguinBooksLtd)PenguinGroup(Australia),250CamberwellRoad,Camberwell,Victoria3124,Australia(adivisionofPearsonAustraliaGroupPtyLtd)PenguinGroup(NZ),67ApolloDrive,Rosedale,Auckland0632,NewZealand(adivisionofPearsonNewZealandLtd)PenguinBooks(SouthAfrica)(Pty)Ltd,BlockD,RosebankOfficePark,181JanSmutsAvenue,ParktownNorth,Gauteng2193,SouthAfrica

PenguinBooksLtd,RegisteredOffices:80Strand,LondonWC2R0RL,England

FirstpublishedinVikingbyPenguinBooksIndia2002PublishedinPenguinBooks2003

Copyright©A.P.J.AbdulKalam2002

CoverPhotographbyGurinderOsan/indiapicture

Allrightsreserved

ISBN:978-01-4302-982-3

Thisdigitaleditionpublishedin2012.e-ISBN:978-81-8475-849-8

Thisbookissoldsubjecttotheconditionthatitshallnot,bywayoftradeorotherwise,belent,resold,hiredout,orotherwisecirculatedwithoutthepublisher’spriorwrittenconsentinanyformofbindingorcoverotherthanthatinwhichitispublishedandwithoutasimilarconditionincludingthisconditionbeingimposedonthesubsequentpurchaserandwithoutlimitingtherightsundercopyrightreservedabove,nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,storedinorintroducedintoaretrievalsystem,ortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans(electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recordingorotherwise),withoutthepriorwrittenpermissionofboththecopyrightownerandtheabove-mentionedpublisherofthisbook.