Dr. Mayilsamy Annadurai
Former Director, ‘Chandrayan 1 & 2 Space Project’ ISRO
Periyar used to tell that modernity must march on beyond the barrier of traditions. That is the prime move of every human. Life is an opportunity available to human. Human life must be with broad and wide outlook. It should not be parochial. People used to tell, after his 95 year life Periyar was not buried but sown as seed. The peasant who had sown the seed may sleep but the seed will not. It will awaken and start to germinate for its ultimate proliferation of magnificent tree. “Periyar says, “Students must not be in the routine route (like cattle revolving around oil expeller). On the contrary they should be like race horse aiming to win at.”
To attain victory efforts and training are necessary. Periyar used to tell, everyone must develop the spirit of inquiry. “Don’t accept anything with mere faith. Don’t accept even what I say. You may accept based on your reasoning ability. You have got every right to reject my saying” Periyar highlighted the great ‘Tirukkural’ couplet —
எப்பொருள் யார்யார் வாய்க் கேட்பினும்
அப்பொருள் மெய்ப்பொருள் காண்பதறிவு
“It is the ability to think, reason and understand that enables one to extract the facts from hearsay”
When I was a student in school, I was aware of the landing of Armstrong in the Moon. Subsequent space travel to Moon revealed that there was no scope of water availability in the Moon. Of course that was true based on the evidence collected by the space crafts and astronomers. It was decided that further travels to Moon would not be fruitful and the efforts were hence dropped.
After my studies, I joined the service in Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and ascended to the position of Director of the Chandrayan Project.
It arose that the efforts and search of water availability could not be concluded. Why can’t it be reopened?
The project was not started on whether the finding of the non availability of water through the earlier efforts was correct or not.
The check up measures would be expensive. Our country cannot afford to meet it financially like the U.S., Russia and other forerunner countries. We have to put our efforts to the Project on low cost technology.
What was not found out 99 times, we, India has found out the availability of water in the Moon in the first attempt itself. As Periyar said, ‘Seeds to be sown.’ Yes, it was sown rightly. The story ended by other countries has been continued by us. Ultimately we proved with proof the availability of water in the Moon through ‘Chandrayan Project’. We worked not as cattle revolving around oil expeller but as a race horse. Even a race horse may run on the same track. But our race track went beyond the boundaries marked by other countries. Periyar’s advocacy paved the way for the new efforts in space craft travel to the Moon. The entire world wonders at our initiatives and new endeavours. Periyar remains like the seed sown in my / our minds.
Now all countries try their mission to Moon after our finding of water availability in it.
(The above are the excerpts of the speech delivered by Dr. Mayilsamy Annadurai at the meeting under the auspices of Periyar Community Services, Singapore on 5th November 2023)
