Article

Ten Mashelkar Mantras


The results of the board exams have just been declared. I want to congratulate all the students, who will begin the new journey of their life. In life, three things are going to be important in determining future. These are ability, aptitude and attitude.

Your abilities will be developed in your college and university. Your aptitude will be determined by what you really like and love. You should do what you love and you must love what you do. Then next is your attitude. Here I will give you ten Mashelkar mantras, which will help in your future life, just as they have helped me.

First, your aspirations are your possibilities, so keep your aspirations always high. Keep your eyes on the stars, and not down at your feet. We often complain about scarcity in India. But remember, the combination of scarcity and aspiration can create disruptive and game changing innovations.

Let me explain from my own learnings. When I took over as Director of National Chemical Laboratory in 1989, it was in the pre-liberalised India, which highly protected the Indian industry through huge tariff barriers. All our scientists were busy doing just import substitution by only copying foreign processes, products, etc. NCL budgets were very small. I said to my scientists, тАЬIt is not the size of the budget that matters, it is the size of the idea. LetтАЩs keep our aspirations high. Rather than just being borrower of ideas and technology from foreign companies, letтАЩs export our technology, let us license our patents to themтАЭ. Everyone thought that this was impossible to achieve. However, within two years, in 1991, we were able to license three of our US patents for close to a million US dollars to a multinational company, who was a leader in the field in which we had got these patents. This was the first ever reverse transfer of technology from an Indian national laboratory to a foreign multinational. It was sheer magic!

But who made this magic possible? The same NCL scientists who were merely copying so far. And why? Because they were fired up by the high aspiration of moving from copying to creating тАУ from importing to exporting, from merely doing something that was first to India to doing something that was first to the world.

Second, you can do anything but not everything. So focus. I learnt the importance of focus early in my life. Let me tell you that story.

I remember going to a poor school in Mumbai. But that poor school had rich teachers. I remember Principal Bhave, who taught us physics. I remember his taking us out in to the sun to demonstrate as to how to find the focal length of a convex lens. He took a piece of paper, moved the lens till the brightest spot emerged on the paper, and told us that the distance between the paper and the lens was the focal length. But then he held it on for some time and the paper burnt. For some reason, he turned to me and said тАЬMashelkar, if you can focus your energies like this and not diffuse them, you can burn anything in the world!тАЭ I was so impressed with the power of science that I decided to become a scientist. But that experiment gave me the philosophy of life too; ‘focus and you will achieve’.

ThatтАЩs why I say, never lose focus in your life.

Third, perseverance always pays. It is always too early to quit. Winners never quit and quitters never win. As Dr. Kalam had said, let the problems not defeat you тАУyou should defeat the problems.

Michael Jordon, the legendary basketball player has said `IтАЩve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. IтАЩve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeedтАЩ.

So my friends, look at the world FAIL differently. FAIL is First Attempt in Learning. As long as you keep on learning from the errors you have done and not repeat them, you will ultimately win.

Fourth, be always a part of a solution, never a part of the problem. If you canтАЩt find the way, create a new way. DonтАЩt just knock on doors of opportunity. Create your own doors.

Let me again explain through my own experience. I returned to India in 1976. I needed sophisticated imported equipment to carry on my research in the field of rheology, in which I was researching abroad. There was acute shortage of foreign exchange in India. DGTD clearance, not manufactured in India certificates were needed for importing any equipment. In my case, I was told it would take 2 years.

So I opened my own new door of opportunity, which did not require any equipment I got into the field of mathematical modelling and simulation. We were so successful that within a short time, I got the S.S. Bhatnagar Prize, one of the highest scientific awards in the country. Just imagine what would have happened if I had just waited for that door of opportunity to open which required foreign equipment!

Fifth, there is no substitute to hard work for becoming successful. I have myself worked 24×7, week after week, month after month, year after year and will do so till I take my last breath. The golden rule is the following. Work hard in silence. Let success make the noise. Like instant coffee, there is no instant success. Your overnight success is always a result of everything that you have done through that moment. If you really look closely, most overnight success took a long time, as Steve Job famously said.

Sixth, again about success. Please remember that success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing, as the legendary footballer Pele, who reached an ultimate pinnacle of success in life, had said.

Seventh, always be innovative. Remember, innovator is one who sees what everyone else sees, but thinks of what none else thinks. Indeed, if you master the art of visualizing the invisible, you can make even seemingly impossible, possible.

Eighth, continue to be creative. It does not get exhausted. The more you use creativity, the more you will have it.

Ninth, when someone tells you that it canтАЩt be done, take it that it is more a reflection of his or her limitation, not yours. Remember, innovator is one, who does not know that it cannot be done.

Tenth, I strongly believe that there is no limit to human endurance and no limit to human achievement excepting the limits you put on your mind yourself. So be `limitlessтАЩ.

Let me illustrate this with some inspiring examples.

Swapna Burman is a girl with 6 toes in both legs but with no money for special shoes. Her father was a rickshaw puller. Her mother was working in a tea garden. She ran for India in the final event of Heptathlon in the recent Asian games with a bandaged jaw. She won a medal for India.

Arunima Sinha was a national level volleyball player. She was pushed from a running train by some robbers in 2011. As a result, one of her legs had to be amputated below the knee. She was inspired by cricketer Yuvraj Singh, who had successfully battled cancer. She said, if he can do it, I will do it too. She decided to do something special with her life. She hoisted the Indian flag on Mount Everest on 21 May 2013, just two years after she lost her leg.

My friends, thatтАЩs why I say that there is no limit to human endurance and achievement, except the limit you put on yourself.

So all my best wishes to you. May you put no limits on your mind, and may you achieve limitless success in your life.

рдореА рдкрд╛рд╣рд┐рд▓реЗрд▓реЗ рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреА – рдбреЙ. рд░рдШреБрдирд╛рде рдорд╛рд╢реЗрд▓рдХрд░


рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреА рдЖрдЬ рдЖрдкрд▓реНрдпрд╛рдд рдирд╛рд╣реАрдд рд╣реЗ рдкрдЯрдд рдирд╛рд╣реА. рдкрдг рдореА рдореНрд╣рдгреЗрди рдХреА, рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреА рд╣реА рдПрдХ рд╡реНрдпрдХреНрддреА рдирд╡реНрд╣рддреА, рдПрдХ рд╕рдВрд╕реНрдерд╛ рд╣реЛрддреА, рдПрдХ рд╡рд┐рдЪрд╛рд░ рд╣реЛрддрд╛, рдПрдХ рд╕рдВрджреЗрд╢ рд╣реЛрддрд╛. рдореНрд╣рдгреВрди рддреЗ рдЪрд┐рд░рдВрддрди рдЖрд╣реЗрдд рдЖрдгрд┐ рд░рд╛рд╣рддреАрд▓. рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреА рдкрдВрддрдкреНрд░рдзрд╛рди рдЕрд╕рддрд╛рдВрдирд╛ рдореА рд╕реА.рдПрд╕.рдЖрдп.рдЖрд░ рдЪреНрдпрд╛ рекреж рд░рд╛рд╖реНрдЯреНрд░реАрдп рдкреНрд░рдпреЛрдЧрд╢рд╛рд│рд╛рдВрдЪрд╛ рдкреНрд░рдореБрдЦ рд╣реЛрддреЛ. рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреА рдкрдВрддрдкреНрд░рдзрд╛рди рдпрд╛ рдирд╛рддреНрдпрд╛рдиреЗ рд╕реА.рдПрд╕.рдЖрдп.рдЖрд░ рд╕реЛрд╕рд╛рдпрдЯреАрдЪреЗ рдЕрдзреНрдпрдХреНрд╖ рд╣реЛрддреЗ. рддреНрдпрд╛рдореБрд│реЗ рдореА рддреНрдпрд╛рдВрдирд╛ рдЬрд╡рд│реВрди рдкрд╛рд╣рд┐рд▓рдВ рдЖрд╣реЗ.

рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреАрдВрдЪрд╛ рдорд▓рд╛ рдкреНрд░рдЪрдВрдб рдкрд╛рдард┐рдмрд╛ рд╣реЛрддрд╛. рддреНрдпрд╛рдореБрд│реЗ рд╕реА.рдПрд╕.рдЖрдп.рдЖрд░ рдпрд╛ рд╕рдВрд╕реНрдереЗрдд рдореА рдЖрдореВрд▓рд╛рдЧреНрд░ рдмрджрд▓ рдХрд░реВ рд╢рдХрд▓реЛ. рдбреЙ. рдЬрдпрдВрдд рдирд╛рд░рд│реАрдХрд░рд╛рдВрдЪреНрдпрд╛ ‘рд╕рд╛рдпрдВрдЯрд┐рдлрд┐рдХ рдПрдЬ’ рдпрд╛ реирежрежрей рд╕рд╛рд▓реА рд▓рд┐рд╣рд┐рд▓реЗрд▓реНрдпрд╛ рдкреБрд╕реНрддрдХрд╛рдд рддреНрдпрд╛рдВрдиреА реиреж рд╡реНрдпрд╛ рд╢рддрдХрд╛рддреАрд▓ рднрд╛рд░рддреАрдп рд╡рд┐рдЬреНрдЮрд╛рди рд╡ рддрдВрддреНрд░рдЬреНрдЮрд╛рдирд╛рддреАрд▓ резреж рд╕рд░реНрд╡рд╛рдд рдорд╣рддреНрд╡рдкреВрд░реНрдг рдЕрд╢рд╛ рдкрд░рд╛рдХреНрд░рдорд╛рдВрдЪреА рдпрд╛рджреА рдХреЗрд▓реА рдЖрд╣реЗ. рддреНрдпрд╛рдВрдд рд░рд╛рдорд╛рдиреБрдЬрди, рд╕рд╛рд╣рд╛, рдПрд╕.рдПрди.рдмреЛрд╕, рд░рдордг, рд░рд╛рдордЪрдВрджреНрд░рди рдпрд╛ рд╢рд╛рдВрд╕реНрддреНрд░рдЬреНрдЮрд╛рд╢рд┐рд╡рд╛рдп рд╣рд░рд┐рддрдХреНрд░рд╛рдВрддреА, рдЕрдгреБрдКрд░реНрдЬрд╛, рдЕрдВрддрд░рд╛рд│ рдХреНрд╖реЗрддреНрд░рд╛рддреАрд▓ рдкреНрд░рдЧрддреАрдЪрд╛ рдЙрд▓реНрд▓реЗрдЦ рдХреЗрд▓рд╛ рдЖрд╣реЗ. рдкрдг рджрд╣рд╛рд╡реА рдШрдЯрдирд╛ рдЖрд╣реЗ рдореА рд╕реА.рдПрд╕.рдЖрдп.рдЖрд░ рдЪрд╛ рдорд╣рд╛рд╕рдВрдЪрд╛рд▓рдХ рдЕрд╕рддрд╛рдВрдирд╛ рддреНрдпрд╛ рд╕рдВрд╕реНрдереЗрдЪрдВ рдЭрд╛рд▓реЗрд▓рдВ рдкрд░рд┐рд╡рд░реНрддрди. рддреНрдпрд╛рд╕рд╛рдареА рдорд▓рд╛ рдХрдареЛрд░ рдирд┐рд░реНрдгрдп рдШреНрдпрд╛рд╡реЗ рд▓рд╛рдЧрд▓реЗ. рдХрд╛рд╣реА рдкреНрд░рдпреЛрдЧрд╢рд╛рд│рд╛ рдмрдВрдж рдХрд░рд╛рд╡реНрдпрд╛ рд▓рд╛рдЧрд▓реНрдпрд╛. рдпрд╛ рд╕рдВрд╕реНрдереЗрдЪреНрдпрд╛ рдЗрддрд┐рд╣рд╛рд╕рд╛рдд рд╣реЗ рдкреНрд░рдердо рдШрдбрд▓рдВ. рдХреЗрд╡рд│ рдЧреБрдгрд╡рддреНрддреЗрд▓рд╛рдЪ рдорд╣рддреНрд╡ рд╡ рдкреНрд░рд╛рдзрд╛рдиреНрдп рджрд┐рд▓рдВ. рдкрд░рд┐рдгрд╛рдореА рдЕрдиреЗрдХ рдЧрдЯрд╛рдВрдХрдбреВрди рд╡рд┐рд░реЛрдз рдЭрд╛рд▓рд╛. рдкрдг рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреАрдВ рдорд╛рдЭреНрдпрд╛рдорд╛рдЧреЗ рдард╛рдордкрдгреЗ рдЙрднреЗ рд░рд╛рд╣рд┐рд▓реЗ. рдореНрд╣рдгреВрдирдЪ рдпрд╛ рдкрд░рд┐рд╡рд░реНрддрдирд╛рдЪрдВ рд╕рд░реНрд╡ рд╢реНрд░реЗрдп рдореА рддреНрдпрд╛рдВрдирд╛ рджреЗрддреЛ.

рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреАрдВрдЪрд╛ рдорд╛рдЭреНрдпрд╛рд╡рд░ рдкреНрд░рдЪрдВрдб рд╡рд┐рд╢реНрд╡рд╛рд╕ рд╣реЛрддрд╛. рдХрд╛рд╣реА рдХрдареАрдг рд╕рдорд╕реНрдпрд╛ рдЖрд▓реНрдпрд╛ рдХреА рдорд╛рд╢реЗрд▓рдХрд░ рд╕рдорд┐рддреА рдиреЗрдорд╛ рдЕрд╕рдВ рддреЗ рд╕рд╛рдВрдЧрдд. рдиреЕрд╢рдирд▓ рдСрдЯреЛ рдлреНрдпреБрдПрд▓ рдкреЙрд▓рд┐рд╕реА рдЕрд╕реЛ рдХреА рд░реАрдЬрдирд▓ рдЗрдВрдЬрд┐рдиреАрд░рд┐рдВрдЧ рдХреЙрд▓реЗрдЬреЗрд╕ рдордзреНрдпреЗ рдкрд░рд┐рд╡рд░реНрддрди рдХрд░реВрди рдиреЕрд╢рдирд▓ рдЗрдиреНрд╕реНрдЯрд┐рдЯрдпреВрдЯ рдСрдл рдЯреЗрдХреНрдиреЙрд▓реЙрдЬреА рдХрд░рдгрдВ рдЕрд╕реЛ, рднрд╛рд░рддрд╛рдЪреА рдФрд╖рдзрдирд┐рдпрдВрддреНрд░рдг рд╡рд┐рд╖рдпрдХ рдпрдВрддреНрд░рдгрд╛ рдмрджрд▓рд╛рдпрдЪреА рдЕрд╕реЛ рдХреА, рднрд╛рд░рддрд╛рдЪреНрдпрд╛ рдкреЗрдЯрдВрдЯ рдХрд╛рдпрджреНрдпрд╛рдд рдмрджрд▓ рдХрд░рд╛рдпрдЪрд╛ рдЕрд╕реЛ рдпрд╛ рд╕рд░реНрд╡ рд╕рдорд┐рддреНрдпрд╛рдВрдЪреНрдпрд╛ рдЕрдзреНрдпрдХреНрд╖рдкрджреА рдорд╛рд╢реЗрд▓рдХрд░рдЪ рд╣рд╡реЗрдд рдЕрд╕рдВ рддреНрдпрд╛рдВрдиреА рдЖрдЧреНрд░рд╣рдкреВрд░реНрд╡рдХ рд╕рд╛рдВрдЧрд┐рддрд▓рдВ.

рей рдЬрд╛рдиреЗрд╡рд╛рд░реА реирежрежреж рд░реЛрдЬреА рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреАрдВрдиреА рдЗрдВрдбрд┐рдпрди рд╕рд╛рдпрдиреНрд╕ рдХрд╛рдБрдЧреНрд░реЗрд╕рдЪрдВ рдкреБрдгреНрдпрд╛рдд рдЙрджреНрдШрд╛рдЯрди рдХреЗрд▓рдВ. рдЬрд╡рд│рдЬрд╡рд│ релрежрежреж рд╢рд╛рд╕реНрддреНрд░рдЬреНрдЮ рддреНрдпрд╛рд▓рд╛ рд╣рдЬрд░ рд╣реЛрддреЗ. рдиреЛрдмреЗрд▓ рд╡рд┐рдЬреЗрддреЗ рд╢рд╛рд╕реНрддреНрд░рдЬреНрдЮ рдЖрд▓реЗ рд╣реЛрддреЗ. рдбреЙ рдХрд▓рд╛рдорд╛рдВрд╕рд╛рд░рдЦреЗ рд╢рд╛рд╕реНрддреНрд░рдЬреНрдЮ рд╣реА рдЖрд▓реЗ рд╣реЛрддреЗ. рдкреБрдгреНрдпрд╛рддреАрд▓ рддреНрдпрд╛ рд╕рд╛рдпрдиреНрд╕ рдХрд╛рдБрдЧреНрд░реЗрд╕рдЪреА рдЕрдЬреВрди рд▓реЛрдХ рдЖрдард╡рдг рдХрд╛рдврддрд╛рдд. рдпрд╛ рд╕рднреЗрдд рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреАрдВрдиреА рдПрдХ рдЕрддреНрдпрдВрдд рдкреНрд░реЗрд░рдгрд╛рджрд╛рдпреА рдШреЛрд╖рдгрд╛ рдХреЗрд▓реА. ‘рдЬрдп рдЬрд╡рд╛рди, рдЬрдп рдХрд┐рд╕рд╛рди, рдЬрдп рд╡рд┐рдЬреНрдЮрд╛рди.’ рддреЗрд╡реНрд╣рд╛ рд╕рд░реНрд╡ рд╕рднрд╛рдЧреГрд╣рд╛рдд рдЯрд╛рд│реНрдпрд╛рдВрдЪрд╛ рдкреНрд░рдЪрдВрдб рдХрдбрдХрдбрд╛рдЯ рдЭрд╛рд▓рд╛.
рдорд╛рдЭрдВ рдЕрдзреНрдпрдХреНрд╖реАрдп рднрд╛рд╖рдг рд╣реЛрддрдВ ‘рдирд╡рдВ рдкрдВрдЪрд╛рд╢реАрд▓рдГ рдирд╡реНрдпрд╛ рд╕рд╣рд╕реНрд░рдХрд╛рд╕рд╛рдареА’ рддреЗ рдкрдВрдЪрд╢реАрд▓ рд╣реЛрддрдВ рдмрд╛рд▓рдХреЗрдВрджреНрд░рд┐рдд рд╢рд┐рдХреНрд╖рдг , рд╕реНрддреНрд░реАрдХреЗрдВрджреНрд░рд┐рдд рдкрд░рд┐рд╡рд╛рд░, рдорд╛рдирд╡рдХреЗрдВрджреНрд░рд┐рдд рд╡рд┐рдХрд╛рд╕, рдЬреНрдЮрд╛рдирд╛рдзрд┐рд╖реНрдард┐рдд рд╕рдорд╛рдЬ рдЖрдгрд┐ рдирд╡рд╕рд░реНрдЬрдирд╢реАрд▓ рднрд╛рд░рдд. рдмрд╛рд▓рдХреЗрдВрджреНрд░рд┐рдд рд╢рд┐рдХреНрд╖рдгрд╛рдЪрд╛ рдореБрджреНрджрд╛ рдорд╛рдВрдбрддрд╛рдирд╛ рдореА рдорд╛рдЭреНрдпрд╛ рдореБрдВрдмрдИрддреАрд▓ рдпреБрдирд┐рдпрди рд╣рд╛рдпрд╕реНрдХреВрд▓рдордзреАрд▓ рднрд╛рд╡реЗ рд╕рд░рд╛рдВрдиреА рдХреЗрд▓реЗрд▓реНрдпрд╛ рдкреНрд░рдпреЛрдЧрд╛рдЪрд╛ рдЙрд▓реНрд▓реЗрдЦ рдХреЗрд▓рд╛ рдЖрдгрд┐ рддреНрдпрд╛рдореБрд│реЗ рдорд╛рдЭрдВ рд╕рд╛рд░ рдЖрдпреБрд╖реНрдп рдХрд╕рдВ рдмрджрд▓рд▓рдВ рдпрд╛рдмрджреНрджрд▓ рдмреЛрд▓рд▓реЛ рд╣реЛрддреЛ.

рдЙрджреНрдШрд╛рдЯрдирд╛рдЪрд╛ рд╕рдорд╛рд░рдВрднрд╛рдирдВрддрд░рдЪреНрдпрд╛рд╡реЗрд│реА рднреЛрдЬрди рд╣реЛрддрдВ. рддреНрдпрд╛рд╡реЗрд│реА рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреАрдВрдмрд░реЛрдмрд░ рдореА рдЖрдгрд┐ рджреЛрди рдиреЛрдмреЗрд▓ рд╡рд┐рдЬреЗрддреЗ рдЕрд╕реЗ рдЖрдореНрд╣реА рдПрдХрддреНрд░ рд╣реЛрддреЛ. рдкреНрд░реЛрдлреЗрд╕рд░ рдореЗрдирди, рдбреЙ. рдХрд▓рд╛рдо, рд╢рд░рджрд░рд╛рд╡ рдкрд╡рд╛рд░ рд╣реЛрддреЗ. рдорд╛рдЭреНрдпрд╛ рднрд╛рд╖рдгрд╛рддреАрд▓ рднрд╛рд╡реЗ рд╕рд░рд╛рдВрдЪреНрдпрд╛ рдирд╛рд╡рд╛рдЪрд╛ рдЙрд▓реНрд▓реЗрдЦ рд╕рд░реНрд╡рд╛рдВрдирд╛ рднрд╛рд╡рд▓рд╛ . рдкрдг рдиреЛрдмреЗрд▓ рд╡рд┐рдЬреЗрддреЗ рд▓реЗрди рд╡ рдЕрд░реНрдирд╕реНрдЯ рдореНрд╣рдгрд╛рд▓реЗ рдХреА рдЕрд╕реЗ рд╢рд┐рдХреНрд╖рдХ рдпреБрд░реЛрдкрдордзреНрдпреЗрд╣реА рджрд┐рд╕рдд рдирд╛рд╣реАрдд. рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреА рдорд╛рдЭреНрдпрд╛рдХрдбреЗ рд╡рд│рд▓реЗ рдЖрдгрд┐ рдорд▓рд╛ рдореНрд╣рдгрд╛рд▓реЗ, ‘рдорд╛рд╢реЗрд▓рдХрд░рдЬреА рдЖрдкрдХреЛ рдкрддрд╛ рд╣реИ рдХреА, рдЖрдЬрдХрд▓ рднрд╛рд╡реЗ рд╕рд░ рдХреНрдпреЛрдВ рдирд╣реА рджрд┐рдЦрддреЗ рд╣реИрдВ?’ рдореА рдореНрд╣рдЯрд▓рдВ, ‘рдирд╣реА рд╕рд░’. рддреЗрд╡реНрд╣рд╛ рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреАрдВ рдореНрд╣рдгрд╛рд▓реЗ ‘рдХреНрдпреЛрдВрдХреА рдЖрдЬ рдЙрдирдХреЛ рд╕рдорд╛рдЬ рдореЗрдВ рдкреНрд░рддрд┐рд╖реНрдард╛ рдирд╣реАрдВ рд╣реИ’. рдХреЗрд╡рдвреЗ рдЕрд░реНрдердкреВрд░реНрдг рдЙрджреНрдЧрд╛рд░ рд╣реЛрддреЗ рддреЗ ! рдирдВрддрд░ рдорд▓рд╛ рдХрд│рд▓рдВ рдХреА рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреАрдВрдЪреЗ рд╡рдбреАрд▓ рд╢рд┐рдХреНрд╖рдХ рд╣реЛрддреЗ. рдореНрд╣рдгрдЬреЗ рд╣реЗ рдЕрдиреБрднрд╡рд╛рдЪреЗ рдмреЛрд▓ рд╣реЛрддреЗ.
рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреАрдВрдЪреНрдпрд╛ рдордирд╛рддреАрд▓ рд╣реА рдЦрдВрдд рджреВрд░ рдХрд░рдгрдВ, рддреНрдпрд╛рдВрдирд╛ рдЕрднрд┐рдкреНрд░реЗрдд рдЕрд╕рд▓реЗрд▓рд╛ рд╕рдиреНрдорд╛рди рдкреБрдиреНрд╣рд╛ рд╢рд┐рдХреНрд╖рдХрд╛рдВрдирд╛ рдорд┐рд│рд╡реВрди рджреЗрдгрдВ рдХрд┐рдВрд╡рд╛ рддрд╕рд╛ рд╕рдиреНрдорд╛рди рд╕рдорд╛рдЬрд╛рдиреЗ рд╢рд┐рдХреНрд╖рдХрд╛рдВрдирд╛ рджреНрдпрд╛рд╡рд╛ рдЕрд╢рд╛ рдХреНрд╖рдорддреЗрдЪреЗ рдЕрдзреНрдпрд╛рдкрдХ рдШрдбрд╡рдгрдВ рд╣реА рддреНрдпрд╛рдВрдирд╛ рд╡реЗрдЧрд│реА рдЖрджрд░рд╛рдВрдЬрд▓реА рдард░реЗрд▓.

рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреАрдВрдиреА рдПрдХ рджреБрд╕рд░реА рдЖрдард╡рдг рдЖрд╣реЗ. резрез рдореЗрдВ резрепрепрео рд░реЛрдЬреА рд╕реА.рдПрд╕.рдЖрдп.рдЖрд░ рдЪреНрдпрд╛ рекреж рдкреНрд░рдпреЛрдЧрд╢рд╛рд│рд╛ рдкреНрд░рдореБрдЦрд╛рдВрдЪреА рдмрдВрдЧрд▓реЛрд░рдордзреНрдпреЗ рд╡рд╛рд░реНрд╖рд┐рдХ рдкрд░рд┐рд╖рдж рд╣реЛрддреА. рддреНрдпрд╛рдЪ рджрд┐рд╡рд╢реА рдПрди рдП рдПрд▓ рдпрд╛ рдЖрдордЪреНрдпрд╛ рдкреНрд░рдпреЛрдЧрд╢рд╛рд│реЗрдиреЗ рддрдпрд╛рд░ рдХреЗрд▓реЗрд▓реНрдпрд╛ рдЪрд╛рд░ рдЖрд╕рдиреА ‘рд╣рдВрд╕рд╛’ рд╡рд┐рдорд╛рдирд╛рдЪрдВ рдкрд╣рд┐рд▓рдВ рдЙрдбреНрдбрд╛рдг рдЭрд╛рд▓рдВ. рджреБрдкрд╛рд░реА рдмрд╛рддрдореА рдЖрд▓реА рдХреА рдбреА.рдЖрд░.рдбреА.рдУ. рдиреЗ ‘рддреНрд░рд┐рд╢реВрд▓’ рдпрд╛ рдорд┐рд╕рд╛рдИрд▓рдЪрдВ рдкрд╣рд┐рд▓рдВ рдЙрдбреНрдбрд╛рдг рдХреЗрд▓рдВ рд╣реЛрддрдВ. рдЖрдгрд┐ рд╕рдВрдзреНрдпрд╛рдХрд╛рд│реА рдмрд╛рддрдореА рдЖрд▓реА рдХреА рдкреЛрдЦрд░рдг рдордзреНрдпреЗ рднрд╛рд░рддрд╛рдиреЗ рдЕрдгреБрдЪрд╛рдЪрдгреА рдШреЗрддрд▓реА ! рддреНрдпрд╛рдирдВрддрд░ рдЬреВрдирдордзреНрдпреЗ рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреАрдВрдЪреНрдпрд╛ рд╣рд╕реНрддреЗ рджрд┐рд▓реНрд▓реАрдд рд╢рд╛рдВрддреА рд╕реНрд╡рд░реВрдк рднрдЯрдирд╛рдЧрд░ рдкрд╛рд░рд┐рддреЛрд╖рд┐рдХ рд╡рд┐рддрд░рдгрд╛рдЪрд╛ рд╕рдорд╛рд░рдВрдн рдЭрд╛рд▓рд╛. рдореА рд╡ рдбреЙ. рдореБрд░рд▓реА рдордиреЛрд╣рд░ рдЬреЛрд╢реА рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреАрдВрдЪреНрдпрд╛ рдЙрдЬрд╡реНрдпрд╛ рд╡ рдбрд╛рд╡реНрдпрд╛ рдмрд╛рдЬреВрд▓рд╛ рдмрд╕рд▓реЛ рд╣реЛрддреЛ. рдЖрдореНрд╣реА рджреЛрдШрд╛рдВрдиреА рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреАрдВрдирд╛ рднрд╛рд░рддрд╛рдиреЗ рдПрдХрд╛рдЪ рджрд┐рд╡рд╢реА рддреАрди рд╡реЗрдЧрд╡реЗрдЧрд│реНрдпрд╛ рдХреНрд╖реЗрддреНрд░рд╛рдВрдд рдХреЗрд▓реЗрд▓реНрдпрд╛ рдкреНрд░рдЧрддреАрдЪрдВ рдорд╣рд╛рди рдкреНрд░рджрд░реНрд╢рди рдПрдХрд╛рдЪ рджрд┐рд╡рд╕рд╛рдд резрез рдореЗ рд▓рд╛ рдХрд╕рдВ рдШрдбрд▓рдВ рд╣реЗ рд╕рд╛рдВрдЧрд┐рддрд▓рдВ. рдЖрдореНрд╣реА рддреНрдпрд╛рдВрдирд╛ рд╕реБрдЪрд╡рд▓рдВ рдХреАрдВ рдЖрдкрдг резрез рдореЗ рд╣рд╛ ‘рдЯреЗрдХреНрдиреЙрд▓реЙрдЬреА рдбреЗ’ рдореНрд╣рдгрдЬреЗ ‘рддрдВрддреНрд░рдЬреНрдЮрд╛рди рджрд┐рд╡рд╕’ рдореНрд╣рдгреВрди рд╕рд╛рдЬрд░рд╛ рдХрд░реВрдпрд╛. рддреНрдпрд╛рд╡реЗрд│реА рддреНрдпрд╛рдВрдиреА рдХрд╛рдВрд╣реА рдЙрддреНрддрд░ рджрд┐рд▓рдВ рдирд╛рд╣реА. рддреЗ рднрд╛рд╖рдг рдХрд░рд╛рдпрд▓рд╛ рдЙрдард▓реЗ. рдЖрдкрд▓рдВ рднрд╛рд╖рдг рд╡рд╛рдЪрд▓рдВ, рдХрд╛рдЧрдж рдЦрд╛рд▓реА рдареЗрд╡рд▓реЗ. рдЖрдгрд┐ рддреНрдпрд╛рдВрдиреА резрез рдореЗ рд╣рд╛ ‘рдЯреЗрдХреНрдиреЙрд▓реЙрдЬреА рдбреЗ’ рдореНрд╣рдгреВрди рдШреЛрд╖рд┐рдд рдХреЗрд▓рд╛. рдЧреЗрд▓реА рд╡реАрд╕ рд╡рд░реНрд╖реЗ рд╣рд╛ рджрд┐рд╡рд╕ рд╕рд╛рдЬрд░рд╛ рд╣реЛрддреЛ рдЖрд╣реЗ. рдпрд╛рдВрдд рд╡рд┐рд╢реЗрд╖ рдореНрд╣рдгрдЬреЗ рддреНрдпрд╛рдВрдиреА рддреНрдпрд╛рдВрдЪреНрдпрд╛ рд╣реГрджрдпрд╛рдЪрд╛ рдЖрд╡рд╛рдЬ рдРрдХреВрди рд╣реА рдЙрддреНрд╕реНрдлреВрд░реНрддрдкрдгреЗ рдШреЛрд╖рдгрд╛ рдХреЗрд▓реА.

рдХрд╛рд░реНрдпрдХреНрд░рдо рд╕рдВрдкрд▓рд╛ рдЖрдгрд┐ рдЖрдореНрд╣реА рдЪрд╣рд╛рдкрд╛рдирд╛рд╕рд╛рдареА рдЪрд╛рд▓рдд рджреБрд╕рд▒реНрдпрд╛ рдПрдХрд╛ рдордВрдбрдкрд╛рдд рдЪрд╛рд▓рд▓реЛ рд╣реЛрддреЛ. рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреАрдВ рдорд╛рдЭреНрдпрд╛рдХрдбреЗ рд╡рд│рд▓реЗ рдЖрдгрд┐ рдорд▓рд╛ рдореНрд╣рдгрд╛рд▓реЗ ‘ рдЕрдгреБрдЪрд╛рдЪрдгреА рдЭрд╛рд▓реНрдпрд╛рд╡рд░ рдЕрдореЗрд░рд┐рдХрд╛ рд▓рдЧреЗрдЪ рдирд┐рд░реНрдмрдВрдз рдЖрдгрддреАрд▓ рддрдВрддреНрд░рдЬреНрдЮрд╛рдирд╛рд╡рд░ рддрд╕реЗрдЪ рдХрд╛рд╣реА, рдирд┐рд╡рдбрдХ рдЙрдкрдХрд░рдгрд╛рдВрд╡рд░. рддреНрдпрд╛рдЪрд╛ рдЖрдкрдгрд╛ рд╕рд░реНрд╡ рд╢рд╛рд╕реНрддреНрд░рдЬреНрдЮрд╛рдВрд╡рд░ рдХрд╛рдп рдкрд░рд┐рдгрд╛рдо рд╣реЛрдИрд▓?’ рдореА рддреНрдпрд╛рдВрдирд╛ рдореНрд╣рдЯрд▓рдВ ‘рд╕рд░, рдЕрдореЗрд░рд┐рдХреЗрдиреЗ рдХрд╛рд╣реАрд╣реА рдирд┐рд░реНрдмрдВрдз рдШрд╛рд▓реВ рджреЗрдд. рдЬреЛрдкрд░реНрдпрдВрдд рдЖрдореНрд╣реА рд╢рд╛рд╕реНрддреНрд░рдЬреНрдЮ рдЖрдордЪреНрдпрд╛ рдореЗрдВрджреВрд╡рд░ рдирд┐рд░реНрдмрдВрдз рдШрд╛рд▓рдд рдирд╛рд╣реА рддреЛрдкрд░реНрдпрдВрдд рдЕрдореЗрд░рд┐рдХрд╛ рдЖрдкрд▓рдВ рдХрд╛рд╣реА рдмрд┐рдШрдбрд╡реВ рд╢рдХрдд рдирд╛рд╣реА’. рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреА рдЬреЛрд░рд╛рдд рд╣рд╕рд▓реЗ. рдерд╛рдВрдмрд▓реЗ. рдорд╛рдЭрд╛ рд╣рд╛рдд рдЖрдкрд▓реНрдпрд╛ рд╣рд╛рддрд╛рдд рдШреЗрдКрди рдореНрд╣рдгрд▓реЗ “рд╢рд╛рдмреНрдмрд╛рд╕ рдорд╛рд╢реЗрд▓рдХрд░рдЬреА. рдпрд╛рдЪ рднрд╛рд╡рдиреЗрдиреЗрдВ рдЖрдгрд┐ рдКрд░реНрдЬреЗрдиреЗ рддреБрдореНрд╣реА рдХрд╛рдо рдХреЗрд▓рдВрдд рддрд░ рднрд╛рд░рддрд╛рд▓рд╛ рдХрд╛рд╣реАрдВрдЪрдВ рдЪрд┐рдВрддрд╛ рдирд╛рд╣реА”.

рддрд┐рд╕рд░рд╛ рдкреНрд░рд╕рдВрдЧ рдорд▓рд╛ рдЖрдард╡рддреЛ рддреЛ реирем рд╕рдкреНрдЯреЗрдВрдмрд░ реирежрежрей рдЪрд╛. рд╣рд╛ рд╕реА.рдПрд╕.рдЖрдп.рдЖрд░ рдЪрд╛ рд╕рд╛рдард╛рд╡рд╛ рд╕реНрдерд╛рдкрдирд╛ рджрд┐рд╡рд╕ рд╣реЛрддрд╛. рд╕реА.рдПрд╕.рдЖрдп.рдЖрд░ рдиреЗ рдПрдХ рдкрд╛рдирднрд░ рдЕрдЧрджреА рд╡реИрд╢рд┐рд╖реНрдареНрдпрдкреВрд░реНрдг рдЬрд╛рд╣рд┐рд░рд╛рдд рджрд┐рд▓реА рд╣реЛрддреА. рд╕рдВрдмрдВрдз рдореЛрдХрд│рдВ рдкрд╛рди рддреНрдпрд╛рд╡рд░ рдлрдХреНрдд рдПрдХрд╛ рдмреЛрдЯрд╛рдЪрд╛ рдлреЛрдЯреЛ рддреНрдпрд╛ рдмреЛрдЯрд╛рд╡рд░ рд╣реЛрддрдВ рдорддрджрд╛рди рдХреЗрд▓реНрдпрд╛рд╡рд░ рд▓рд╛рд╡рд▓реЗрд▓реНрдпрд╛ рдХрд╛рд│реНрдпрд╛ рд╢рд╛рдИрдЪрд╛ рдард┐рдкрдХрд╛. рд╢рд╛рдИрдЪрдВ рддрдВрддреНрд░рдЬреНрдЮрд╛рди рддрдпрд╛рд░ рдХреЗрд▓рдВ рд╣реЛрддрдВ рдЖрдордЪреНрдпрд╛ рдПрдирдкреАрдПрд▓ рдпрд╛ рдкреНрд░рдпреЛрдЧрд╢рд╛рд│реЗрдиреЗ. рддреНрдпрд╛ рдкрд╛рдирд╛рд╡рд░ рдПрдХ рд╡рд╛рдХреНрдп рд╣реЛрддрдВ. ‘рд╕реА.рдПрд╕.рдЖрдп.рдЖрд░ рдЪрдВ рддрдВрддреНрд░рдЬреНрдЮрд╛рди рдХрд░реЛрдбреЛ рднрд╛рд░рддреАрдп рдорддрджрд╛рд░рд╛рдВрдЪреНрдпрд╛ рдмреЛрдЯрд╛рд╡рд░’.

рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреАрдВрдиреА рд╣реА рдЬрд╛рд╣рд┐рд░рд╛рдд рддреНрдпрд╛ рджрд┐рд╡рд╢реАрдЪреНрдпрд╛ рд╡реГрддреНрддрдкрддреНрд░рд╛рдВрдд рд╕рдХрд╛рд│реА рдкрд╣рд┐рд▓реА рд╣реЛрддреА рдЖрдгрд┐ рддреА рддреНрдпрд╛рдВрдирд╛ рдлрд╛рд░ рдЖрд╡рдбрд▓реА рд╣реЛрддреА. рдпрд╛рдЪрд╛ рддреНрдпрд╛рдВрдиреА рдЖрдкрд▓реНрдпрд╛ рднрд╛рд╖рдгрд╛рдд рдЙрд▓реНрд▓реЗрдЦ рдХреЗрд▓рд╛. рддреНрдпрд╛рдВрдиреА рддреНрдпрд╛рдВрдЪрдВ рд╡рд╛рдЪрд╛рдпрд▓рд╛ рджрд┐рд▓реЗрд▓рдВ рднрд╛рд╖рдг рдмрд╛рдЬреВрд▓рд╛ рдареЗрд╡рд▓рдВ. рдЖрдгрд┐ ‘ рддрдВрддреНрд░рдЬреНрдЮрд╛рди рд╡ рд▓реЛрдХрд╢рд╛рд╣реА ‘ рдпрд╛ рд╡рд┐рд╖рдпрд╛рд╡рд░ рдЙрддреНрд╕реНрдлреВрд░реНрдд рднрд╛рд╖рдг рдХреЗрд▓рдВ рдорд╛рдЭреНрдпрд╛ рдЖрдпреБрд╖реНрдпрд╛рдд рдРрдХрд▓реЗрд▓рдВ рд╣реЗ рдПрдХ рд╕рд░реНрд╡реЛрддреНрддрдо рднрд╛рд╖рдг рдореНрд╣рдгреЗрди.

рддреАрди рд╡реЗрдЧрд╡реЗрдЧрд│реНрдпрд╛ рджрд┐рд╡рд╕рд╛рдд рдкрд╛рд╣рд┐рд▓реЗрд▓реА рдкреНрд░реЗрд░рдгрд╛рджрд╛рдпреА , рддреНрдпрд╛рдВрдЪреНрдпрд╛рд╕рд╛рд░рдЦреАрдЪ рдЕрдЧрджреА рдЕрдЯрд▓ рдЕрд╢реА рд╣реА рд░реВрдкрдВ рдЖрдЬрд╣реА рдбреЛрд│реНрдпрд╛рд╕рдореЛрд░ рд▓рдЦреНрдЦрдкрдгреЗ рдпреЗрддрд╛рдд. рдореНрд╣рдгреВрдирдЪ рдорд▓рд╛ рд╡рд╛рдЯрддрдВ, рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреА рдХрд╛рдпрдо рдЖрдкрд▓реНрдпрд╛рдд рдЖрд╣реЗрдд! рдореА рдЕрдЯрд▓рдЬреАрдВрдЪреА рддреАрди рд╡реЗрдЧрд╡реЗрдЧрд│реА рд░реВрдкрдВ. рдЙрддреНрд╕реНрдлреВрд░реНрдд. рдирд┐рд░реНрдорд▓. рд╕рдВрд╡реЗрджрдирд╢реАрд▓. рднрд╛рд╡рдкреВрд░реНрдг. рдкреНрд░реЗрд░рдгрд╛рджрд╛рдпреА. рдЕрдЯрд▓.

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam : As a Human Being


Dr Kalam is no more. I cannot imagine India without Dr Kalam.The outpouring by the entire nation has been absolutely unprecedented. Dr Kalam is being referred to as the Missile Man. I will leave aside the тАШmissileтАЩ part of it and write about the тАШmanтАЩ part of it, the тАШhumanтАЩ part of it, especially as I have seen from my personal lens.

My first interaction with Dr. Kalam was when I was a member of Scientific Advisory Committee to the Prime Minister in Rajiv GandhiтАЩs time. This was in 1987-88. I was given the responsibility of putting together a draft of a perspective plan on the future of Indian Science & Technology. I needed to cover different issues of science & technology including Defense Research and Development. I was trying to get hold of Dr. Kalam but I was unable to do so. Finally, we accidentally sat together in a plane. I still remember his profusely apologizing for being inaccessible, explaining to me at great length as to how busy he was with his several projects. He asked me as to what was needed. I explained. He set aside whatever work he was doing. He pulled out a piece of paper and wrote his thoughts on the subject with his own hand. This very first meeting touched me, because I saw a man who was simple, very humane and yet professional at the same time. I was to realize his other qualities as I met him on several occasions later.

I saw evidence of his extraordinary humility and willingness to learn from others in another instance. I remember the year was 1992. I was then the Director of National Chemical Laboratory. I got a phone call from Dr. Kalam. He was then the chief of Defence Research and Development Organization with a chain of more than 50 laboratories. Dr. Kalam told me that they were going to have a DirectorsтАЩconference in Pune and he wanted me to deliver the inaugural address. I happily accepted the invitation and asked Dr. Kalam as to what should I speak on. India had just been liberalized in 1991, opening up its doors for trade with and investment from the rest of the world. Dr. Kalam suggested that I should speak on тАШfighting it into the market place in the post liberalized eraтАЩ. He wanted me to talk about what Indian Science & Technology could do in this fight. I remember addressing the gathering, which was chaired by Dr. Kalam. While beginning the lecture, I addressed Dr. Kalam as тАШMr. Technology of IndiaтАЩ. I went on to dwell on the theme of IndiaтАЩs big challenge in the coming years as we opened up. My penchant for patents was well known then. In 1989 itself, I had launched this тАШmovement on patent literacyтАЩ and put NCL on the path of becoming strong in patents, even licensing our patents to the advanced world.I referred to this issue of тАШpatent literacyтАЩ and said as to how this illiteracy had to be removed in order for India to face the stiff global competition.

After the lecture, there was a lunch. Dr. Kalam came to me and said тАЬMashelkar, you have addressed me as тАШтАШMr. Technology of IndiaтАЩ. You also talked about patent literacy movement. But can I tell you that your тАШMr. Technology of IndiaтАЩ is also тАШMr. Patent IlliterateтАЩ of India!тАЭ I asked him why he said that. He replied that he had very little knowledge of patents, why they were important and what could his organization DRDO do. I explained. He immediately called someone and issued instructions to set up patent cells in each of the fifty plus DRDO laboratories. Today, DRDO has become not only aware of the patents but also strong in patents. This simple instance actually shows on one hand the humility of the great man, where he was prepared to admit what he did not know, and at the same time his acting so fast and decisively. Both these qualities are so crucial for leaders.

Today when I look at CSIR, we find that there is a major transformation in the CSIR chain of 38 laboratories. All this transformation by CSIR was possible due to a major initiative I took on the suggestion of Dr. Kalam. In fact, I vividly recollect 1 July 1995. This was the day when I took over as the Director General, CSIR. We had a party in the evening. Dr. Kalam was also present in the party. He congratulated me and asked me тАШMashelkar, what is your vision for CSIR?тАЩ He went into deep details and told me as to how crucial it was for me as a new leader to formally launch a vision statement, so that the entire CSIR family clearly understood what was in my mind. I remember finally making a presentation to the Advisory Board of CSIR, of which Dr. Kalam was also a member. I remember his many valuable contributions. This vision statement тАШCSIR 2001 : Vision & StrategyтАЩ became an epoch making statement and transformed CSIR. Today, the organization has progressed to such a level that in a recent international book тАШWorld Class in IndiaтАЩ, CSIR finds a place among the top organizations, who have managed the radical change best in the post liberalized era in India. Jayant NarlikarтАЩs book тАШScientific EdgeтАЩ lists the CSIR transformation as being among the ten best achievements of Indian science and technology in the twentieth century.

I found Dr. Kalam to be an extremely warm hearted and simple individual. I have personally experienced his warmth and affection. A very simple instance illustrates this. I remember Dr. Kalam calling me one day at 11.00 A.M. in the morning in my office. He said that he had fixed up a meeting of the Knowledge Task Force set up the Prime Minister. He and I were working together on the steering committee.

I said that I will be unable to join him because I had to leave by the 4.00 P.M. flight to Pune. I explained to him that only that morning I had received a call from Pune saying that my wife was seriously ill. I desperately needed to be in Pune. First things came first. I had dropped all my programs and I was flying back with the first available flight. I was so tense that I could not control myself and broke down on phone. Dr. Kalam consoled me. We ended the conversation. After 15 minutes, I was surprised to see that Dr. Kalam was there in my office, leaving a meeting that he was to chair! He spent an hour with me. He came out as an extremely concerned and warm-hearted individual.

Dr. Kalam has really caught the imagination of the children and the young. This became evident when he came to Pune during the Indian Science Congress 2000 in January in Pune. It was my dream to get the тАШTrimurtyтАЩ, Dr. Kasturirangan, Dr. Chidambaram and Dr. Kalam on a single dais. I had asked them to project their dreams on creating a secure India. We had a memorable afternoon, when all these three great people gave their vision. I still remember the events after the discussions Dr. Kalam was mobbed by several hundred young people. I had to rescue him. I had to perform the same act in Lucknow this year during the Indian Science Congress 2002. There was a panel discussion that was going on. Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, Dr. R. Chidambaram, Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Dr. Kasturirangan and myself were on the dais. There were around 2000 people in the audience. While the presentations were going on, Dr. Kalam walked in. Everyone forgot that we all were on the dais and rushed to Dr. Kalam! He was again surrounded by hundreds of young people. Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi told me to go down and rescue him. The only way was to put him on the dais so that we could continue. It was only then that we could resume the proceedings! I have never seen such an appeal of a scientist amongst the young, or indeed that matter, amongst the society ever before.

Dr. Kalam was convinced that children were our future and we had to ignite their minds. When he was Principal Scientific Advisor to the Prime Minister, I remember I had gone to meet him for some discussions. The conversation as usual drifted to talking about the future of India and how it will be built by our children. I still remember his telling me that in future he wanted to dedicate himself to the cause of igniting the minds of children. He said that he would interact with at least 1,00,000 children in one year. He asked me тАШMashelkar, why donтАЩt you join me in this grand adventure. We two can go and inspire the children from a common platformтАЩ. I remembered to have agreed to this enthusiastically but, of course, could not really join him.

Soon afterwards,Dr. Kalam became the President of India. I went to meet and congratulate him. The first thing he did was to remind me of this conversation.He asked me as to how many children I had addressed. He said that he had already addressed 50,000 children. I said I had addressed none. He said that not only I must address them, but also that he will exchange with me the number each one of us would have addressed. We followed this practice for two to three years, I remember!

In all our conversations, I found Dr Kalam to be deeply disturbed by the societal disconnects.Once he told me that his father and the high priest of Rameswaram temple could discuss Bhagwat Gita and Holy Quran in their houses. He mentioned several times as to how a church was transformed into a technology laboratory and became the birthplace of the nationтАЩs rocket technology. To him that was the result of the fusion of science and spirituality, and he wished that such fusion should happen in all fields in continuum.

I would like to end by repeating what Dr. Kalam said in this address to the nation on 25th July, when he was sworn in as President of India. He said

тАШWhen I travel across our nation, when I hear the sound of waves of the three seas around the shores of my country, when I experience the breeze of wind from the mighty Himalayas, when I see the bio-diversity of North-East and our islands and when I feel the warmth from the western desert, I hear the voice of the youth: “When can I sing the song of India?” If youth have to sing the song of India, India should become a developed country which is free from poverty, illiteracy and unemployment and is buoyant with economic prosperity, national security and internal harmonyтАЩ. And then he went on the sing that song.

тАШAs a young citizen of India, armed with technology, knowledge and love for my nation, I realise, small aim is a crime.

I will work and sweat for a great vision, the vision of transforming India into a developed nation, powered by economic strength with value system.

I am one of the citizens of billion; Only the vision will ignite the billion souls.

It has entered into me; The ignited soul compared to any resource is the most powerful resource on the earth, above the earth under the earth.

I will keep the lamp of knowledge burning to achieve the vision – Developed
IndiaтАЩ.

To me, in Dr. Kalam, we had a President, who was the right man, in the right place, at the right time. Indian youth were desperately looking for a role model. What better role model could they have had than someone who was the son of a boatman in Rameshwarm and went on to occupy the position of the President of India? What better role model could they have had than this simple and humane individual, who was a staunch nationalist, and who was a great dreamer and visionary at the same time? What better role model could they have had than an individual who strongly emphasised that тАШstrength respects strengthтАЩ and wanted to see a Developed India in our life time.

The only fitting tribute we can pay to Dr Kalam is not only fulfilling his dream of Technology Vision 2020, but also setting up a game changing тАШKalam Vision 2050тАЩ in the spirit of Dr Kalam, which always was to think and act with the belief that impossible can be made possible.

This will only happen if each Indian in the true Kalam spirit said тАШYes, I can. Yes, India can. Yes, India willтАЩ.

We owe it to Dr Kalam, the living legend till yesterday, who is no more with us.

Technonationalism to Technoglobalism


About an year ago, I received a phone call from a young, prominent member of Congress party. He said that he wanted to know my views on the Indo-American nuclear deal. I responded by saying that I was not a technical expert in this area. Yet I would attempt to give my own perspective, which will go beyond nuclear energy.

I said that in 1947, India got its first freedom тАУ the political freedom. In 1991, India got its second freedom, when it opened up its economy тАУ the freedom to compete. I said if we sign this nuclear deal, then we will be ushering the third freedom тАУ┬а the technology freedom.

I said that this third freedom will enable us an access to тАЬdual use technologyтАЭ. Such technology is primarily developed for military or strategic purposes but finds use also in civilian applications. India was denied such access all the while. I cited as an example the development of the 14 seater civilian aircraft called SARAS by National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL).

When I was the Director General of Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, the SARAS project was launched. The aircraft SARAS had around 15,000 components.┬а One of them was a тАШstarter generatorтАЩ. Access to this single component was denied to us and the SARAS project was delayed by almost two years! This meant a delay in IndiaтАЩs entry into civilian aircraft industry by two years!

I further explained that life was like a journey by consecutive buses towards a destination. You miss the first bus and then you miss the second. India has been a story of missed buses due to lack of access to critical technologies. Other smart countries did not miss these buses. Taiwan or Korea, for instance, represent classical examples. Access to technology and Foreign Direct Investment took them way ahead of India.

The young politician asked me a very perceptive question. He said this lack of access must have meant an impact in socio-economic and strategic positioning for India over the years. Had any one evaluated this so far? I said to him that he was the first one to raise that query. And no, we had not evaluated these costs.

Technonationalism to Technoglobalism

Technology denial over the years has been affected through several instruments such as Wassenar Arrangement, Nuclear Suppliers Group, Australia Group, etc. IndiaтАЩs technology denial share ranged from a high performance supercomputer to cryogenic engine used in the space launch vehicles. When technology was not available for love or for money, the only option for India was developing the technology on its own. India had to follow the path of this тАЬtechnonationalismтАЭ.

Nations like South Africa had to adopt to technonationalism, since during the apartheid regime, there were wide ranging sanctions imposed on it. Lack of oil forced them to create synthetic fuels based on coal by developing Fischer Tropsch technologies, something that is finding a great value in times of rise of oil prices today.

Many nations have tended to resort to тАЬtechnonationalismтАЭ by giving a priority on science for national economic development but by essentially going┬а alone. Many nations have placed emphasis on projecting national power and status тАУ just as Soviet Union did before its break-up. China in recent times has pursued manned space missions for both substantive and symbolic reasons. China has used these as a means of announcing ChinaтАЩs arrival as a global power.

Technoglobalism does away with the top-down approach implicit in Technonationalism. The foundation of Technoglobalism is based on robust global knowledge and innovation networks. It is built on the imperative of strong interaction between the internationalization of technology and the globalization of the economy. It encompasses the┬а widening cross-border interdependence between individual-based sciences and economic sectors. It signals the change of тАШgeographyтАЩ of science, technology and innovation, from advanced nations to talent rich emerging economies.

Technoglobalism serves different purposes. It is used for creating private good by transnational companies but increasingly as the world faces grand challenges of climate change, depleting fossil fuel resources, water crisis, ravaging of biodiversity, global health, etc., there is an increasing demand on technoglobalism directed towards creating a public good, or global good.

Indian Technonationalism

It was through the path of тАШtechnonationalismтАЩ that India developed self-reliance through its own technologies in space, defence, nuclear energy, and supercomputers, among others.

Take IndiaтАЩs defence research infrastructure. India has developed diverse missiles and rocket systems, as also low level tracking radar, high-vision devices, sophisticated sonar systems, a light-combat aircraft, remotely piloted vehicles and so on. None of these were available to India for love or for money.

Look at our forays into nuclear S&T. The entire range of technologies, from the prospecting of raw materials to the design and construction of large nuclear reactors was developed on a self-reliant basis. IndiaтАЩs nuclear fast-breeder reactors emerged from its thrust towards technonationalism. The Indo-American nuclear deal would not have been signed, if India had not positioned it for the future this way.

And the recent crowning glory of IndiaтАЩs space research has been a matter of pride for all the Indians. IndiaтАЩs first moon orbiter project Chandrayan-1 placed a 527 kg spacecraft in 100 km polar orbit with high-resolution, remote sensing equipment. It carried two USA payloads from NASA too!┬а Paradoxically, it was USA, which had denied India the cryogenic engine, a critical requirement in IndiaтАЩs space programme!

India is now ranked amongst handful of nations of the world that have a credible capability in space S&T. IndiaтАЩs space programme has led to the creation of the largest domestic communication system in the AsiaтАУPacific region. Indian space technology, born out of India technonationalism, has served the civilian needs in communication, meteorology, broadcasting and remote sensing.

Indian Technonationalism and Export Control Regimes

Technonationalism is always driven by technology denial. But the denial regime itself undergoes a change as technonationalism gives the country a strong technological foundation. The best example of this is IndiaтАЩs forays into supercomputers, which today are being increasingly regarded as a strategic resource.

IndiaтАЩs supercomputer journey began, when a CRAY super computer was denied to India in mid-eighties. IndiaтАЩs response was to launch the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) in 1987.┬а In 1991, India developed its first supercomputer, PARAM 8000.

Two interesting facts about PARAM 8000 are worth noting in terms of cost and time. PARAM was built at a cost that was less than the cost of the imported CRAY computer! It was built in a time that was less than the time to import and install a large computer system in India at that time!

But PARAM by C-DAC was not the only response by India to technology denial. There was тАШFlowsolverтАЩ by National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), ANUPAM by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), and ANURAG by Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO). And just this year Tata Research LaboratoryтАЩs EKA was ranked the 7th fastest supercomputer in the world.

The long voyage in high-performance computing was not a smooth sail by any reckoning. It was plagued by several difficulties, including embargoes on critical components, architectural debates, make-versus-buy┬а debates,┬а loss of key talent to multinationals, and bureaucratic hurdles. Interestingly though, a direct correlation can be found between IndiaтАЩs forays into supercomputer and the technology denial play.

After C-DAC successfully demonstrated the PARAM-8000 in 1990, the Los Alamos (Worlton) report concluded that supercomputers were not necessary to design nuclear weapons.

In 1991тАУ1992, C-DAC exported its PARAM supercomputers to Canada, Germany, and Russia, while others, such as NALтАЩs FLOSOLVER Mk III, and DRDOsтАЩ PACE, matched the capabilities of US-made, mid-range workstations.

In December 1992, the US Office of Naval Research sent an official to Bangalore to assess Indian capabilities in supercomputing. In 1993, the US authorized the licensed conditional export of high-performance computers to several Indian institutions.

In April 1995, India placed parallel processing supercomputing on its list of items requiring an Indian export license. In July 1995, the US began to review its supercomputers export controls and in October 1995, further relaxed the export of computers to India.

In 1998, C-DAC launched PARAM 10,000, which demonstrated IndiaтАЩs capacity to build 100-gigaflop machines. In response, the US further relaxed its export controls.

During the same year, CRAY established a subsidiary in India; the same company had denied CRAY supercomputers in 1980s!

There is a saying that тАШstrength respects strengthтАЩ. IndiaтАЩs foray into supercomputers is a brilliant example of this.

Technoglobalism

The imprints of technoglobalism are evident all over the emerging economies, which have a strong talent capital. On the outskirts of Shanghai, by 2012, around 10,000 researchers will be working in the Intel research facility that was built from┬а scratch in just five months. In Beijing, engineers at EricssonтАЩs research centre are developing routers for mobile phone systems at a third of the cost of those in Europe.

And India is no exception. IntelтАЩs latest chip is being designed in Bangalore, and so is General ElectricтАЩs latest aero engine. Around 300 multinational companies have set up their R&D centres in India, including GE, IBM, Microsoft, Du Pont,┬а Shell, and General Motors. Over 90%┬а of the US patents filed from Bangalore are for the foreign R&D centres тАУ Indian IQ generating IP for these companies!

The centre of gravity for innovation is starting to shift from west to east. The rise of China, India, and South Korea will redefine the innovation landscape. And there are data to support this. During the decade of 1994-2004, the resident patent applications in South Korea went up by 269% and that in China by 488%, in contrast to the patent applications in the world, which went by only 42%! In the same decade, ChinaтАЩs R&D intensity measured in terms of investment in R&D as a proportion of GDP more than doubled, from 0.6% of GDP in 1995 to over 1.2% in 2004.

The advanced nations are already preparing for this surprising shift.┬а A report entitled тАЬAvoiding Surprise in an Era of Global Technology AdvancesтАЭ by Committee on Defense Intelligence Agency Technology Forecasts and Reviews set up by National Research Council (2005) of USA concluded as follows:

тАЬTraditionally, the United States has assumed that it leads the world in science and technology. This perspective leads the technology warning community to look for indications that external actors are trying to тАЬcatch upтАЭ, or to exploit known technologies in new ways. Projected future trends suggest that it should no longer be automatically assumed that the United States will lead in all relevant technologies.тАЬ

Technoglobalism is here to stay for several reasons.

First, there is an increasing pressure to shorten international market penetration time for new products, to shorten R&D times, and to decrease the market lifetime for new products.

Second, innovations are beginning to have multiple geographic and organizational sources of technology with increasingly differentiated and innovation-specific patterns of diffusion. R&D in high-technology industries such as biotechnology, nano technology, microelectronics, pharmaceuticals, IT, and advanced materials has become highly science based.

Third, the costs of doing R&D are also increasing exponentially. At the same time, there has been a progressive weakening of the importance of central corporate laboratories in large firms. Firms worldwide are complimenting internal efforts by external technology partnerships on a global basis. The concept of R&D is giving way to C&D тАУ that is тАШconnect and developтАЩ. For instance,┬а 50% of Procter & GambleтАЩs research budget is spent on C&D!

Fourth, the creation of seamless laboratories around the world is also being helped by the evolution of global information networks that allow real-time management and operation of laboratories in any part of the world. Companies are aggressively gaining a competitive advantage by using global knowledge resources and working with a global time clock.

Finally, the trend is also fuelled by a shortage of R&D personnel in some emerging high-tech areas in industrialized countries. The demographic shift is taking place in the US, Europe, and Japan, as its population and workforce become older. For instance, according to the US National Science Foundation Report (2002), more than 76% of the working doctorates in science and engineering are more than 60 years old. This means that a country like India, with a demographic profile that boasts of 55% of its population being less than 25 years old, can become a global innovation hub.

Consequences of Technoglobalism

Technoglobalism in countries like India will have major social, economic, political, and strategic consequences. As India becomes a great global R&D and innovation hub, the worldтАЩs best companies will undertake their most challenging R&D in India. These challenges are even now drawing young Indian scientists and engineers back to India. For instance, GEтАЩs Jack Welch R&D centre in Bangalore alone has over 700 Indian researchers return from USA. тАШBrain drainтАЩ is giving way to тАШbrain gainтАЩ and then to тАШbrain circulationтАЩ, the returning Indian scientists leaving these multinational R&D centers and joining the Indian enterprises, as they see challenging opportunities in these enterprises.

More than half of GDP in OECD countries is due to the production and distribution of knowledge. And this proportion is on the increase. As more and more of this knowledge for the leading corporates from OECD gets generated in India, its strategic position will improve.

Technoglobalism & Global Grand Challenges

It is heartening to see that the world is launching major experiments in technoglobalism for solving some grand challenges in science as well as technology. The Large Hadron Collider (over 8 billion US dollars) and International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (over 9 billion US dollars) are excellent examples. The first is searching answers connected with the origin of universe and the second is attempting to find an environmentally benign and inexhaustible source of energy.

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the worldтАЩs largest and highest energy particle collider. The LHC was built by European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) with intention of testing various predictions of high energy physics, which may shed light on the conditions that existed around the origin of the universe. It is a great example of technoglobalism, since it is funded and built in collaboration with over 10,000 scientists and engineers from over 100 countries. 10 September 2008 was the historical day (some referred to it as the тАШbig bang dayтАЩ), when the experiments started.

As the world energy demands increase, with the demands on reducing the green house gas omissions also increasing, would it not be wonderful to explore the potential of an environmentally benign and essentially inexhaustible electricity? That is precisely what the most expensive experiment in technoglobalism┬а that was agreed between 7 participants on 21 November 2006 is attempting to do through the launch of┬а The ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor). This is an experimental project aimed at future electricity producing fusion power plants. The seven partners in the ITER project are China, European Union, India, Japan, Russia, South Korea and USA. This is an incredible partnership amongst nations with diverse economic and technology status and ideologies.

Technoglobalism for Global Commons

We need the equivalents of LHC and ITER for facing grand challenges that the world is facing today. These challenges comprise climate change, diminishing hydrocarbon energy resources, food and water crisis, terrorism, and now the financial crisis due to global melt-down. The financial crisis will go away but not the others. There is a need to tackle the other crisis by giving a new twist to technoglobalism by тАЬcreating global commons by using global talent pool and by using global fundsтАЭ.

What levels of global funds will be required? Professor Jeffrey Sachs has estimated that R&D for sustainable development тАУ in energy, health, agriculture, climate and water тАУ may require US$70 billion per annum. Global R&D spending is expected to reach US$1,210 billion in 2008. Thus for global commons, we require about 5.8 per cent of the present global expenditure on R&D.

If such funds were made available, what would be the path for тАШtechnoglobalism for global commonsтАЩ? Several models are possible.

One model is the тАШGlobal Research AllianceтАЩ formed by a network of network of public R&D institutions (not for profit) from 5 continents and 9 countries.┬а These include CSIR (India), CSIRO (Australia), SIRIM (Malaysia), CSIR (South Africa), FhG (Germany), TNO (Netherlands), DTI (Denmark), VTT (Finland) and Battelle (USA). Programmes from low cost internet access to rural Africa to climate change effect on sub-saharan Africa form part of the GRA portfolio aimed towards global good.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the Rockefeller Foundation and others have done exceptionally well to establish new models of global cooperation, such as novel public-private partnerships. Novel ways of getting the best minds in the world to contribute to solving the тАШgrand challenges in global healthтАЩ have been established by BMGF. These could be emulated for the other grand challenges that the world is facing.

Technoglobalism for global commons will also involve issues of intellectual property rights and technology transfer. These have been implicitly enshrined in TRIPS. Article 7 of the TRIPS Agreement states тАШthe protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights should contribute to the promotion of technological innovation and to the transfer and dissemination of technology to the mutual advantage of producers and users of technological knowledge and in a manner conducive to social and economic welfare, and to a balance of rights and obligationsтАЩ.

However, these have remained mere intentions. Article 7 has never been implemented. For instance, the 1990 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer ran into conflicts over commitments to ensure fair and favourable access for developing countries to chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) substitutes protected by intellectual property rights. The 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity aims to ensure fair and equitable use of genetic resources partly through technology cooperation, but its technological provisions have received little attention. The new partnerships in technoglobalism should be committed to these imperatives.

Finally, for a fair and equitable world, where knowledge and innovation could be used to benefit not just a select few тАУ but all тАУ will require тАШtechnoglobalism with human faceтАЩ. Then only will we be able to create global commons that will serve the global good.