#19 A satellite on a bullock cart? Also CV Raman's platinum
AND A HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT!
“[It shall be the duty of every citizen of India] To develop scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform.” - Article 51 A(h) Constitution of India
While the Constitution does say this, cases of apathy and negligence towards the spirit of scientific inquiry abound. Here are famous stories from India about how scientists and the Government didn’t always see eye-to-eye, with vastly different endings.
How the Bharat Ratna gave a scientist some platinum - CV Raman was India’s first Bharat Ratna in 1954. Despite his cordial relationship with Nehru, CV Raman struggled to get approvals and necessary funding for projects. After his umpteenth request for platinum was rejected, CV Raman smashed the Bharat Ratna with a hammer and found the first sliver of Platinum for his experiment.
This famous photograph where a bullock cart is transporting the APPLE satellite.
Back then, ISRO did not even have mainframe computers, and were trying to set up mission control at Sriharikota. The satellite's antenna had to be tested as there were some problems in tracking and control links. It could only have been done in proper antenna range with the satellite placed under a thermal blanket - something that ISRO did not have. The solution is the now famous image of transporting the satellite on a bullock cart. It provided a non-magnetic environment for transportation to an open field and tests were conducted that remedied the faults before launch. Gaumata to the rescue.
Speaking of India and space, check out this story of how Rakesh Sharma saved Burma when he was in space.
Ek Doctor Ki Maut - Tapan Sinha made this movie based on the life of Dr Subhash Mukhopadhyay - a man credited with India’s first test tube baby way back in 1978, only 67 days after the world’s first test tube baby in the UK. The West Bengal government launched an inquiry into his 1978 breakthrough, and concluded that his claims were bogus and he wasn’t allowed to share his achievements with the international scientific community. Humiliated by this experience, Dr Subhash committed suicide. Only later in 2002 did the Indian Council of Medical Research recognize the work of Dr Subhash.
Things we’re reading / watching / listening to:
Engines of Our Ingenuity - A podcast that has been going on for so long, that its website still references Netscape compatability (Ask your folks about it if you are less than 20 years old). Explaining interesting concepts that involve science, technology, art, engineering all in less than 5 minutes.
Yes Minister - A political comedy like no other. No other show matches the wit, the satire, the cynicism with government and bureaucracy like this. The TV series was shown in the 80’s and still feels so relevant today.
🚨 A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨
It may be only September, but for some of us Jan 2020 seems like a lifetime ago. So let's try and review this 1-star year with a fun quiz hosted by none other than The Ashish Shakya. A quiz that will cover TikTok, #Virushka, Indian Matchmaking, Black Lives Matter, Danish Sait, and a lot more. Are we forgetting something else important that happened this year? Hm probably not.
Watch this space for more details about the quiz.
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Team #9