Kalam latest: an eye in the sky for the young

Scientists accompanying President Kalam during his current four-nation tour say the African satellite scheme—to provide e-connectivity to 53 African countries—is now at the blueprint stage. Proposals have just been discussed by a Rashtrapati Bhavan team which returned from South Africa earlier this month.

This time, the President announced yet another mega satellite programme during his foreign tour, which his scientific aides say he fully conceived of only a week ago.

The President’s latest scheme is for the launch of an International Youth satellite, to provide connectivity to students and universities around the globe.

True to form, before going public on his Youth Satellite scheme, the President telephoned Madhavan Nair, Chairman of ISRO, from Moscow, and briefed him about the scheme. Only after that, he spoke about it publicly, first at the Moscow University and then before the Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Expanding on the President’s latest satellite scheme from Geneva, Prof N Balakrishnan of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, said: ‘‘It should take about two years before satellites can be located to provide world students a connectivity programme.’’

Added V Ponraj, Technical head of the Rashtrapati Bhavan: ‘‘The ISRO chief told the President that he feels such a satellite programme will greatly help the youth of the world and that the ISRO will give the necessary back-up.’’

He said that since President Putin was the first world leader with whom the youth satellite was discussed, the two countries would soon need to formalize an agreement on the subject, maybe, with a Memorandum of Understanding.

It is to be recalled that last month, an MoU for e-connectivity between the Universities of Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai was signed at Rashtrapati Bhavan in presence of the President and the Human Resources Minister, Arjun Singh.

Ponraj said the latest satellite scheme conceived by the President is an extension of such ideas.

‘‘The idea is for any student anywhere in the world to be able to learn and study what students in other countries are studying. A constellation of satellites will need to be networked to transform the President’s vision into reality,’’ he added.