Scientists deserve a big hand

Professor M.M. Sharma, an internationally acclaimed chemical engineer, Dr.K.Kasturirangan, chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation ISRO and secretary, Government of India and Dr. Paul Ratnasamy, director of the National Chemical Laboratory NCL were the recipients.

At a glittering and dignified function at Bal Gandharva Rang Mandir on October 1, the three came through as humility personified. Despite enough temptations from the land of dreams, where they could have been materialistically very sound and led cushy lives, with lots of dollars in their pockets to boast of, they chose to live in, austerity, in their motherland. They began their research from scratch and steadily built institutions which now revolve around their image. Not only that, Sharma and Kasturirangan are not far from the spiritual world as they were shown through video snippets, as being deeply religious people.

The marathon ceremony which lasted for more than three hours opened with a delightful dance performance by Sucheta Bhide-Chapekar and her Kala Vardhini troupe. The ballet unravelled the mysteries of the origin of life and how it is created with the fusion of five elements. And if you thought scientists witness such creativity, with an indifferent perception, then you are mighty wrong.

Because when Dr.R.A Mashelkar, director general of CSIR took centrestage after that, he proudly declared that he too had a panchadhatu formula for the betterment of India. He delightfully stated that not his exact words 8212; First, India should have child-related education since now it is based on curriculum and information but not on inquiry. Second, it should have a woman-related family because although the fair sex forms 50 per cent of the population, they are not allowed to contribute to the best of their abilities in this male-dominated world. Third, human-centred development where economics must go hand-in-hand with ethics and protection of environment and ecology. Fourth, knowledge-centred society where we already have a massive intellectual infrastructure and don8217;t have to look up at Bill Gates anymore. And fifth, innovation-centred India where it is high time that we Indians drop any Inhibitions and Imitations8217; attitude and must stand for Innovations.8221;

And who should be this innovator? States Mashelkar, 8220;The one who sees what everyone else sees but thinks what no one else thinks.8221;

When a video clip of Sharma was shown, you see him in his unostentatious home, reading the Ramcharitmanas and his wife who says he loves simple food piping hot. The first among 35 Indians, Sharma is the recipient of the Fellow of Royal Society in its 338 years of existence. Wow! Sharma is Mashelkar8217;s guru, who addressed him as 8220;the most principled person, with highest values, ethics that is unbeatable, absolutely uncompromising.8221;

Our very own Dr. Paul Ratnasamy from amche Pune was introduced by Dr. Vasant Gowariker, eminent scientist and former vice-chancellor of the University of Pune. He said,8220; Paul is affectionately called Mr.Catalyst8217;. If Shakespeare was alive, he would have said,8220;Catalyst, thy name is Ratnasamy.8221;

When the unassuming Ratnasamy took to stage, his soft-spoken voice was indeed appealing. He believed India and China were at the pinnacle of glory, about 1,000 years ago after which there was a slump. Now, in this new century, he stated, it will be a revival of the lost glory, for both. Thank you, Ratnasamy, for these exciting words. He also said,8220;This award gives me a sense of fulfilment. A rose can bloom only with the silent support of the encouragement of the whole bush.8221; He, however, warned,8220;Unless we invest in science, we cannot enter the next millennium with confidence. We have the potential which has to be realised.8221;

Dr. Kasturirangan was also delightful in his speech. He stated, rather mischievously, that what is earned should be of conscious efforts, what is so earned should be guarded and conserved, what is guarded must be multiplied and what is multiplied must be distributed deservingly! He also revealed proudly that ISRO was working in close association with the Indian industry from which it received inputs. Says he,8220; As much as 30 per cent of the ISRO8217;s annual budget now flows into the industry by way of assistance in the manufacture of various products.8221; Dr. Swaminathan gave an inspiring speech stating that 8220;we must unleash the energy of our country but our optimism must be based on action.8221;

Indeed, such profound thoughts and pearls of wisdom had the evening filled with patriotic fervour. And everyone present there surely must have felt: Mera Bharat Mahan.

It8217;s science and the man, thank god another eminent scientist, who lives in our city and has been the pioneer of the cyber revolution, with a penchant for God, is Dr. Vijay Bhatkar. Steering the novel Education To Home ETH organisation, which is under the aegis of the Chennai-based Dishnet Ltd, has become Bhatkar8217;s raison d8217;etre. His endeavour to bring education to every home, through the Internet and to provide every student with a computer costing Rs. 20,000, with the generous help of the State Government, by the turn of the century is indeed admirable.

When you meet him at his super-plush office near Golibar Maidan, you stare at the colourful portrait of Swami Yoganand on his computer screen, if you please. At a corner, several deities sit pretty and you get wonder struck at this contradiction 8211; a man who is literally in the whirlpool of cyberspace is also simultaneously happily rocking in the spiritual space as well. Sounds contradictory?

Certainly, not, says Bhatkar. Elaborating further, Bhatkar reveals that 8220;Reaching God is also a science. After all, science is a part of nature. Man has not created science, he has observed and understood the secrets of nature, over centuries. Just like in science, when you follow the correct formula, you are bound to get results, similarly if you follow the path of spirituality, you are bound to attain enlightenment. In science, you understand the world around you and in spirituality you understand the world within you. Thus, both cannot be contradictory to each other. It has to be a synthesis of both to acquire the ultimate knowledge and follow the path of truth.8221;

And therefore, Bhatkar, since the past many years has been an ardent disciple of Swami Yoganand and has attained Kriya-Diksha 8212; a practice that is a more intense technique of pranayam. He believes, that spirituality has been misunderstood over the years, since we all operate at different levels. It is for us, he says, to transcend the physical level, that is transcend oneself to be one with God. While the western world has gone miles ahead, exploring the outer world, India has deeply explored the inner world. And thus, by the turn of the century, India is in a better position to show to the world that it is the synthesis of spirituality and science which together form a wholesome and comprehensive knowledge.

Frankly, this is not what I expected when I met him. Instead of a talk on technical language on information technology, I was at the receiving end happily so of a spiritual lecture on synthesis of the outside and inside world. Truly enlightening!