Chandrayan-1

Dear friends,
India's first moon expedition vehicle, Chandrayan-1 has started its adventure very successfully. The Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) Scientists whole heartily worked together for the success of the mission announced by our Prime Minister on 15th August 2003 during his Independence Day address to the Nation from the Red Fort. The Nation is very proud of them.

In fact I expected a much more impressive leap in the field of atomic energy through Bhabha Atomic Research Centre(BARC) which was started functioning from June 1, 1945 by one of our greatest Scientist Dr Homi Jahangir Bhabha with the help of Sir Dorabji Tata. At that time the name of BARC was Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and later it came to be known as Atomic energy Establishment(AEET). Our Prime Minister Indira Gandhi renamed AEET as Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in June12, 1967 as a tribute to Dr Homi Jahangir Bhabha who expired in an air crash in June24, 1966.

ISRO was started much latter date(in August15, 1967) under the same Atomic Energy Department and later ISRO was brought under Department of Space in June 1, 1972, still ISRO made a big leap than that of BARC. This, I feels, is due to the to sanctions imposed by Nuclear Nations on India after the successful conduct of Nuclear test in 1974. It is the time for auditing our past actions. What we have gained through our Nuclear explosion tests? Are we interested in manufacturing Nuclear weapons or the need of the hour was the utilisation of Nuclear Energy for the betterment of teeming millions of poor Indians? I feels, it was a political gimmick and now the people of India has to suffer, nullified all the foresightedness shown by our great visionary Scientist Dr Homi J Bhabha and the Industrialist Sir Dorabji Tata

I am happy to note that signs of rethinking is going on in the right direction to fulfill the needs in the field of energy sector

Wit best wishes for a bright future
velayudhan