How Can We Matter

The NavIC System This morning (29-01-2025) ISRO successfully launched their GSLV-F15 rocket  precisely injecting the NVS-02 navigation satellite into the required orbit. This launch marked ISRO's 100th rocket mission, with the first big rocket liftoff, 46 years ago, on 10th August 1979. Image Credit: Indian Aerospace & Defence Bulletin On this occasion, I am proud to recall that during 1976-1985 I was working at the Space Applications Center (ISRO), Ahmedabad on satellite remote sensing and prior to that, during 1972-1976, I was part of the team at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (ISRO), Trivandrum, involved in the structural analysis of SLV rockets. See the past blog of May 22, 2017 titled Vintage Computer Programming of 1970s .  NVS-02 is the second in the series of the NavIC system ( Navigation with Indian Constellation ), which is India's independent regional navigation satellite system, previously known as the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS). NVS...

Preamble MT Vasudevan Nair's literary masterpiece ' Randamoozham ' (Second Turn), a Malayalam-language novel, retells the Mahabharata epic through the eyes of Bhima. This innovative approach has garnered critical acclaim and widespread readership, solidifying MT's status as a literary giant in Malayalam literature. In this blog, I have attempted to re-envision a single episode from the Mahabharata, drawing parallels between the epic's characters and events with the current political landscape of India. This retelling of the Indraprastha episode in the Mahabharata epic chronicles the transformation of our nation since 2014, evolving from its comparatively barren state under the Congress party's rule for more than 54 years since Independence, into a modern state and an economic superpower. Indraprastha Image copyright © 2025 wisdomlib In the Indraprastha episode, a pivotal moment showcasing the contrasting values and personalities of the Pandavas and Kauravas, th...

A spaceship landed on earth and the commander sent out his little green men to investigate the creatures that humans referred to as 'doctors'. A few days later the aliens reported back to the spaceship. 'So, what do you think?' asked the commander. 'From our study of the activities of the specimens called "doctors", they declared, 'this is our conclusion. Most Doctors are men who put medicines of which they know little, to cure diseases of which they know less, in human beings of whom they know nothing.' Criticism of Medical Practice This quote, often attributed to the French philosopher Voltaire, criticizes the medical practice of doctors prescribing medications with limited understanding, to treat illnesses about which they have even less knowledge, in patients whose individual complexities they may not fully grasp; essentially highlighting a potential gap between medical knowledge and its application in real patients.  Though the quote reflects ...

Given the historical context of civil code implementations in the region, why has India still not adopted a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) ? Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru passed a Hindu Civil Code in 1950s, Pakistan Military Chief Ayub Khan passed a Muslim Civil Code in 1961, and Justice Muhammad Carim Chagla proposed a Muslim Civil Code in 1964:  Hindu Civil Code of 1950s:  Traditional Hindu laws that prevailed in India prior to the Independence movement often discriminated against women in matters of property, marriage, and inheritance.  The diversity of Hindu customs across different regions of the country created a need for a unified legal framework. Realizing the demand for uniformity, B.R. Ambedkar , architect of the Indian Constitution, drafted the Hindu Code Bills championing women's rights.  Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru supported the reforms and played a crucial role in their passage during the 1950s, immediately after Independence.  Muslim Civil Code o...

We are all busy with the " struggle for existence " that refers to the competition for resources needed to survive, which can occur in human society or in nature. This survival process is best elaborated through a story. The Cow and the Tiger Once upon a time, a cow went to graze in the jungle. Suddenly, she saw a tiger racing towards her. Terrified, she fled, fearing the tiger would catch her at any moment. Desperately searching for a way to escape, she spotted a shallow pond. Just barely evading the tiger’s reach, she jumped into the pond, and in the heat of the chase, the tiger blindly followed her and fell into the pond. To their dismay, the pond where they landed was filled with deep mud. After tumbling over each other, the cow and the tiger found themselves stuck in the deep mud up to their necks, unable to free themselves despite their struggles. The tiger snarled at the cow, roaring, “I will enjoy crunching your bones between my teeth!” Do you have a master? Furiously...