Page 16 - Scientech 2014-15

Message

FROM

Prakash Devji

Managing Director, Devji Group
Patron, SIF Bahrain

2014 is a year that will go down as a memorable year in the history of India’s
scientific achievements. Scientists at ISRO launched the Mangalyaan into
orbit on 23rd September 2014.

The Mangalyaan robotic probe is one of the cheapest interplanetary missions
in the history of the world. It was made for a small sum of 74 million dollars.
We all heard how this was cheaper than the Hollywood movie that was made
about space travel, but the lesser-known fact is how it was done? Mars is a
100 times further than moon and you need an incredible amount of thrust
to get there. The USA reached there using a super launcher but what our
scientists at ISRO did was they used a space launcher they already had
which was not as powerful and along with that they used something cheap
and free- Gravity.

They used gravity to get away from gravity. They used the earth’s gravity to
pick up speed, the sun’s gravity to travel and Mars’s gravity to get closer. Yes
India is innovating. The other most impressive aspect was that all the parts
used were built in India. Not imported from Russia but built locally. Young
ISRO did all of this on its own.

Young Indians across India are now spending time in research labs across
the country figuring out a way to use Thorium as an alternate energy source,
which is much cheaper than Uranium, and is found abundantly in India. If
these young minds achieve their goal, we will have an alternate energy source
soon. Our young researchers have submitted twice the number of papers
than any other country in this field of research. Yes, India is innovating.

The youth of today for whom science is a passion are standing at the threshold
of vast possibilities. Our education system does have flaws but these are not
limiting. Many shining stars have emerged from the very same system.

My message to you dear students is to be an innate observer and allow
your mind to break the shackles of your text -book prescribed experiments.
Take the leap and experiment with everyday life. Aim to simplify things and
open yourself to ideas that might be right in front of you but are not noticed
because they are so simple. Think out of the box and don’t be afraid to take
risks. We have the requisite ingredients to emerge as a powerful nation,
all we need to do is believe in ourselves and march ahead. I wish all of you
success in your future endeavors and sign off with the ardent hope that
many of you will emerge as innovators.

Yes India is innovating !

All the best.
Bharat mata ki jai.

Prakash Devji