ARCHITECT OF INDIA'S SPACE PROGRAMME

 Vikram Sarabhai

     Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai (1919 - 1971), the architect of India's space programme, was born on August 12, 1919 in Ahmedabad as the son of an industrialist. He did his tripos (a final honours examination) in natural sciences from Cambridge University in 1940. Returning to India when World War II broke out, he began pursuing research in cosmic rays under C. V. Raman at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (now Bengaluru). In 1945, he went back to Cambridge to do his Ph.D in nuclear fission.

     In post-independence India, Sarabhai went on to establish numerous institutions including research laboratories, a dance academy in collaboration with his wife, dancer Mrinalini, and the prestigious Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad. His interests were not limited to scientific research but encompassed industry, business, and development issues. He followed a consistent approach involving the use of scientific methods, sound financial planning and a clear nationalistic purpose.

     In 1962, Prime Minister Nehru invited Sarabhai to organise India's space research. He was appointed chairman of the Indian National Committee for Space Research, which was later renamed the indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

     In 1963, Sarabhai with active support from Homi Bhaba, set up India's first rocket launching station at Thumba near Thiruvananthapuram. The first rocket with sodium vapour payload was launched on November 21, 1963. In 1965, the UN General Assembly officially recognised the Thumba Rocket Launching Station as an international facility.

     After Bhaba's untimely death in a plane crash, Sarabhai became the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission. Carrying forward his predecessor's work in the field of nuclear research, Sarabhai played a key role in the establishment and development of India's nuclear power plants. He laid the foundations for the indigenous development of nuclear technology for defence purposes. 

     Awards won by Sarabhai in his lifetime include the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Memorial Award for Physics in 1962 and Padma Bhushan in 1966. He was also awarded with the Padma Vibhushan posthumously. 

     Sarabhai died prematurely in 1971, at the age of 52. 

TRAINING IN THE WOODS

 A career in the Indian Forest Service

     If you want to explore the world without being confined to four walls, here is an opportunity for you to combine your academic and leadership skills with your love for outdoors. 

What’s this career about?

     The core duty of an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer is to protect and manage the country’s natural resources like forest flora and fauna, wildlife sanctuaries, tiger reserves and implement the National Forest Policy. The job combines both desk work as well as extensive field monitoring.    

     The work involves overseeing the maintenance and development of an area of forest or woodland; organising the planting of trees, thinning and felling of trees, mining, oil and gas drilling operation; assessing the impacts of wildfires, insects, diseases and/or pollution on forests and develop strategies to control and prevent of forest fires, and protecting wildlife and natural habitats.

     Besides this, the work entails a regular interaction with the local communities living near the forest area and helping in their rehabilitation, providing them protection from wild animals as well as educating them on the importance of forests and wildlife and their protection. They may also advise government and industry officials on forest management issues and assess new forest management applications.

How do I get there?

     Indian Forest Service (IFS) is one of the three All India Services, the other two being Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS). The examination for this highly competitive job is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) (upsc.gov.in). Eligibility is graduation in science or engineering.

     Selection procedure consists of three stages — preliminary, main examination and personality test. Candidates who qualify in the Civil Services (Preliminary) and meet the eligibility criteria of IFS are shortlisted for the IFS Main Examination. After clearing the main examination, the candidate is called for an interview. 

     The interview aims to assess the personal suitability of the candidate for the service. They must be conversant with the modern currents of thoughts and with new discoveries, as any well-educated youth. The candidate’s love for outdoor life and the desire to explore unknown places is also assessed.

     This is followed by a medical test and an endurance test, which requires the selected male candidates to walk 25 kms in four hours, whereas female candidates have to walk 15 kms. Those candidates who are successful in all these phases of the examination are recruited for training.

     Initially, the candidates have to attend the common foundation course at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie (lbsnaa.gov.in). On completion of this course, they go to Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy at Dehradun (ignfa.gov.in), for training on forest and wildlife management, soil conservation, surveying, etc. The officers are taught more than 56 subjects of life sciences during these two years. They need to travel to forests throughout India to know the entire spectrum of forests. They are also supposed to do field work and trek through several villages. 

     After completing training at the academy, candidates go through a year of on-the-job field training in the state to which he or she is assigned. Later, the officers are awarded a Master’s degree in Science (Forestry) from Forest Research Institute, Dehradun (fridu.edu.in). 

      No fees are charged; rather trainees are paid a stipend during the training period. Also, the Government of India takes care of other expenses. 

     After completing all the trainings, the probationer starts as an Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF). They are assigned field work with a small staff. Within 4-5 years, they are promoted to the post of Deputy Conservators of Forests (DCF) in charge of districts/forest divisions. At higher levels, they spend less time outside and may be involved in decision-making and policy decisions. At the top is the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) who is the administrative head of the forest organization and a technical advisor to the Government.

What key skills do I need?

*Love for outdoors and an interest in the 

  preservation of the environment.

* Physical hardiness.

* Scientific curiosity to solve problems.

* Effective oral and written communication skills.

* Enjoy working outdoors and be prepared to  

   spend time in isolated areas.

* Good at making decisions and planning skills.

* High level of organisational skills.

* Aptitude for administrative work and project 

   management.

Pay package 

     Indian Forest Service officers are given official vehicles and accommodation. Their salary starts with around Rs 60,000 per month, which may go up to Rs 2.5 lakhs a month. After several years of experience, some foresters become consulting foresters, working alone or with a partner.

Employment profile

     The Government of India is the only recruiter that offers different positions to eligible and qualified candidates in the Indian Forest Service. The Ministry of Environment and Forests provides employment in various departments including Environment and Ecology, Botanical Survey of India and the Botanical Gardens, the Zoological Survey of India, National Museum of Natural History, Wildlife Preservation departments, Wildlife projects, Central Ganges Authority, the National Wasteland Development boards, and the Indian Forest Service.

     Forests contribute significantly to economic development; these yield firewood, timber, fodder, industrial raw materials and other minor produce. Foresters will continue to be needed to help landowners manage their forested property. Specially trained personnel are needed to maintain and regenerate forest cover and forest resources.

DO YOU KNOW

 What is the Param Vir Chakra and when was it instituted?

     The Param Vir Chakra literally translated as 'the Wheel of the Ultimate Brave', is the highest wartime gallantry medal for officers and other enlisted personnel of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, awarded "for most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour for self sacrifice, in the presence of enemy, whether on land, at sea, or in the air". It is the Indian equivalent of the American Medal of Honour and the British Victoria Cross. The medal was introduced in January 1950 and came into effect from 15 August 1947.

     The Param Vir Chakra is a circular bronze medal, three and one-eighth inches in diameter. The obverse (main) side bears an embossed replica of the State Emblem in the centre, surrounded by four embossed replicas of Indra's weapon, Vajra (thunderbolt). On the reverse, the words Param Vir Chakra are inscribed in English and Hindi, with two lotus flowers in between the English and Hindi inscriptions. The medal is suspended by a plain purple ribbon that is one and a quarter inches wide.

     The Param Vir Chakra medal was designed by an army wife, Savitribai Khanolkar. 

     She was originally a European national (of Hungarian-Russian parentage) named Eve Maday whose introduction to India came through Vikram Khanolkar, an Indian army officer whom she met and married. Converting to Hinduism and settling down in India, she developed a keen interest in Indian culture and studied the scriptures in depth. Seeing her extensive knowledge of Indian mythology and artistic skills, Major General Hira Lal Atal, the then Adjutant General of the Indian army, entrusted her the task of designing the medal. She designed not only the Param Vir Chakra but also all other major gallantry medals for both war and peace, including the Ashok Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, Kirti Chakra, Vir Chakra, and Shaurya Chakra. Incidentally, the very first recipient of the Param Vir Chakra, Major Somnath Sharma (who won it posthumously), was her daughter's brother-in-law. 

     As the Param Vir Chakra is reserved for the bravest of the brave, only a very select few are deemed worthy of it. Since its inception, the prestigious medal has been conferred just 21 times --- very often posthumously. Twenty of the recipients are from the Indian Army and one from the Indian Air Force. Only men have won it so far and 14 out of 21 have been posthumous awards. A majority of the awards have been for heroic valour shown in the course of Indo-Pakistan conflicts alone. The complete list of Param Vir Chakra awardees is as follows:

1) Major Somnath Sharma (Posthumous)

2) Naik Jadunath Singh (Posthumous)

3) Second Lieutenant Rama Raghoba Rane 

4) Havildar Major Piru Singh Shekhavat (Posthumous)

5) Lance Naik Karam Singh 

(all the five for bravery in action during the India-Pakistan war of 1947-48)

6) Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria (Posthumous) (for bravery in action during the Congo operation in 1961)

7) Dhan Singh Thapa

8) Subedar Joginder Singh Sannan (Posthumous)

9) Major Shaitan Singh (Posthumous)

(all the three for bravery in action during the Indo-China war of 1962)

10) Havildar Abdul Hamid (Posthumous)

11) Lieutenant Colonel Ardeshir Burzoji Tarapore (Posthumous)

(both for bravery in action during the Indo-Pakistan war of 1965)

12) Lance Naik Albert Ekka (Posthumous)

13) Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon (Indian Air Force) (Posthumous)

14) Second Lieutenant Arun Khetrapal (Posthumous)

15) Major Hoshiar Singh Dahiya 

(all the four for bravery in action during the India-Pakistan war of 1971.

16) Naib Subedar Bana Singh

(for bravery in action during the Sicahen conflict between India and Pakistan in 1987)

17) Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran (Posthumous) 

(for bravery in action during Indian peacekeeping operation in Sri Lanka in 1987)

18) Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey (Posthumous)

19) Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav

20) Rifleman Sanjay Kumar 

21) Captain Vikram Batra (Posthumous) 

(all the four for bravery in action during the Kargil conflict between India and Pakistan in 1999)

THE WHITE TEMPLE OF THAILAND

Wat Rong Khun

     At first glance, Wat Rong Khun in Chiang Rai, Thailand looks like an ethereal palace straight out of Arabian Nights. The milky white edifice inlaid with millions of tiny pieces of mirrored glass is a unique modern Buddhist temple. The temple complex is under construction, but it has already become a national landmark.

     The project began in 1997 with the construction of the ubosot (assembly hall). Its white colour symbolises Lord Buddha’s purity while the mirrors reflect his wisdom which radiates through the universe.

     The temple’s exterior is full of ornamental sculptures. The bridge leading to the temple represents crossing over from the human world of rebirth to the house of Lord Buddha. It is built over a ‘pit of hell’ depicting hundreds of sculpted hands reaching out for succour. Beautiful gilded murals adorn its interior. If you look closely, you will also find images of Superman and spaceships in the paintings!

     Chalermchai Kositpipat, an eminent Thai artist is the creative force behind the temple design. He has dedicated his life to the complex which will have nine buildings when complete. 

THE SAINT WHO LOVED

 Mother Teresa

"Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love."

-----Mother Teresa

     Saint Mother Teresa (1910-1997) lived a life so filled with purpose that it transformed the dreary lives of those she served. The actions of this Nobel Prize winner and Angel of the Poor continue to inspire people across the globe. The incident that follows is certain to touch your heart today.

     Even observing Saint Mother Teresa going about her routine was enough to strike awe in one’s heart. She gave constantly – a warm smile here, a caring touch there. One might imagine that casual onlookers would scarcely believe what they were seeing – for it was nothing short of love in action.

     An American journalist witnessed a sick man in her care. He had ulcers that smelt rather foul, yet Mother Teresa attended to him. The story goes that the journalist called out in disgust, “I wouldn’t do that for a million dollars!”

     The Saint replied, “Yes, for a million dollars, I wouldn’t do it either.” 

     It is not surprising; money cannot always motivate us to do things that repulse us. But love can. And Mother Teresa was in love; she was loving – she did it for Lord Jesus Christ. 

BRAIN EXERCISES

 Neurobics 

     Most people would have heard of aerobic exercises for cardiovascular conditioning using breathing techniques. But did you know there is a different type of exercise designed specifically for your brain? This is called Neurobics. And is used to describe the science behind brain exercise. Neurobic brain exercises are designed to decrease memory loss and increase taking in and using new information. For your brain to be healthy and sharp, it needs to practice and get better and constantly get better at a variety of skills. 

     Regular physical exercises will reduce fat,  increase muscle power, improve breathing, and make you vibrant. Physical exercises will help body parts to improve. Similarly, neurobic exercises give the different parts of your brain to practice and improve. Neurobic exercises are different from regular brain exercises, puzzles, maths, etc. Neurobic exercises will strengthen the brain and will make new connections and create new pathways. For example, neurobic exercises will disrupt your routine. When people do something out of routine, their brains will not work as hard. For example, you may go to school on the same road every day. On some days you may not even remember how you got there because your brain was accustomed to that routine. But if you take a different road your brain has become alert to the new surroundings and will have to start paying attention and work harder. 

     Your brain has different parts, all designed to do different functions. But not all parts are used regularly and so they become inactive and slowly deteriorate like our legs becoming weak if we don’t walk regularly. This is because we get accustomed to routines and don’t learn or do things differently periodically. But if you learn something new every day all parts of the brain get activated. 

     So, learning new things is crucial to your brain health. Learning anything new is a neurobic brain activity. When your brain takes in new information, it starts making new connections to interpret and retain that new information. Here are a bunch of neurobic exercises you can try to activate the unused parts of your brain.

Close your eyes - Do regular activities with your eyes closed. For example, try taking a bath, washing your hair, getting dressed for school, opening the doors and cupboards, finding your things, bags etc., with your eyes closed. Don’t do anything that could put you or others in danger. Such activities will force your brain to use new neural pathways.

Read books aloud – The brain uses different areas for each activity. When you read aloud or listen to others reading, you will use different brain circuits than when you read silently to yourself. Brain imaging studies have shown three distinct brain regions lighting up when the same word was read, spoken, or heard. So, reading quietly is different from reading loudly to the brain.

New routes - Take a new route to school. Traveling exposes the senses to new surroundings. As you see new places and buildings your brain starts documenting them. 

Shopping – Take item list from your mother and go to buy things at different shops or supermarkets. This way the brain will register new shelves, new faces, new methods, new roads, and new products.

Relocate items - Reposition the location of familiar items in your house. For example, in your room, rearrange the furniture, change the order of the clothes in your closet, put your watch to the other wrist, rearrange your books, home furniture, desktop etc. Now your brain will have to find out where the items are.

Switch Hands - If you are right-handed, try using your left hand to do things like brushing teeth, eating food, combing hair, writing, or using your computer mouse. Using your non-dominant hand will increase brain activity. This can be difficult at first but after a few days, you will be pleasantly surprised. 

     Similarly, try breaking the routine for the various activities you used. Slowly, your brain will start activating the portions that had become inactive. This will create new healthy brain cells and make your mind and brain vibrant. 

THE STORY OF DIVINE FRIENDSHIP

 Shri Krishna and Sudama

     Sudama was Shri Krishna’s friend and  devotee. He belonged to a poor Brahmin family. As they grew up, Shri Krishna got married to Rukmini and became the king of Dwarka. On the other hand, Sudama married a simple Brahmin girl and led a simple life. He had two children, but due to his austere living, he remained a poor man. 

    One day Sudama’s wife asked him to seek help from Shri Krishna but Sudama felt ashamed but decided to go to meet his friend Krishna. Sudama decided to carry along a handful of poha (flatened rice) for Shri Krishna as he didn't want to go empty handed.

    As soon as Sudama reached the palace, Shri Krishna received him with warmth and respect and made Sudama sit on His throne and washed his tired feet with sandalwood and warm water to relax him. They recalled the time spent at the Sandipani Ashram in childhood. Seeing the splendour, Sudama felt embarrassed to take out the gift. Shri Krishna immediately understood how Sudama was feeling. Seeing a small bag in Sudama’s hand, Shri Krishna asked him  what he was carrying. Sudama hesitated and moved forward the bag, which contained a handful of poha. Shri Krishna went forward and consumed a part of the poha saying that was the best thing He ever had.

     Shri Krishna thanked him for the gift and requested Sudama to have a meal with him. As both of them sat to have their meal, which was served in exquisite gold plates. Sudama felt sad as he remembered his hungry children at home. He stayed at the palace for two days but could not ask Shri Krishna for any personal favours. On the third day, he was ready to leave back home. While leaving Shri Krishna embraced Sudama and asked him to visit again.

     Touched by His love and hospitality, Sudama thanked Him. While going back to his family Sudama wondered "What shall I say when my wife asks me what I've brought back?"

     As Sudama reached back home, he was troubled seeing that there was no hut. Instead of his old hut, he saw a magnificent palace being built at the same place. As he walked towards the palace, he saw his wife coming out elegantly dressed in beautiful clothes.

     She told Sudama that Shri Krishna had helped them to get rid of the poverty and miseries. Thinking about Krishna’s love and concern, Sudama's heart filled with gratitude and tears of joy rolled down his eyes as he realised that friendship doesn’t believe in rich and poor, it only seeks love and respect.