Probe, but don’t humiliate icons of scientific community
Vijnana Bharati deplores the action taken by the Government against Dr G Madhavan Nair. Statement by Jayakumar, Secretary General, Vijnana Bharati
It is quite unfortunate that the Government has taken such drastic actions against Dr G Madhavan Nair, one of the leading space scientists of India, and his colleagues based on an enquiry report. One should remember with gratitude, love and admiration that Dr G Madhavan Nair brought Indian Space Science to new heights – both in respect of technology and basic space science research. No doubt that India honoured him with Padma Awards. It looked like taking one to the highest peak and pushing down to create maximum damage. There are no parallels to this actions in the history of civilized human society It was an action of the unkindest cuts of all taken by the government without giving Dr G Madhavan Nair a chance to explain things. It seems that some dark forces in the expanse of Space Research in India are gathering more power to destroy the remaining miniscule of creativity, originality and sincerity in the field of Research and Development activities in general and Space Science in particular.
The Antrix –Devas deal was totally done following all the existing norms by a team of scientists and Dr BN Suresh committee had given clean chit to the deal. Hiding the entire facts of the review committee from the public and blacklisting the most respectful scientist ever recognised by the whole scientific community through a so-called report of former Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) Pratyush Sinha seems to be immature and unethical in all ways and means.
The governmental actions echoes similar events took place in the case of Professor CV Raman. He was virtually thrown out from the scientific world of Calcutta. TATA embraced him and brought to Tata Institute ( later on Indian Institute of Science) of Bangalore as its Director. Evil forces made CV Raman to resign from the Director’s post and lived in the Institute as the Head of the Department of Physics. After his retirement he was not allowed to step into the Department of Physics – which was his dream child. Maharajah of Mysore extended his helping hand to the great scientist to establish an institute which is now known as Raman Research Institute. Towards the twilight period of his life, Raman was so dissatisfied that he returned all the laurels including Bharat Ratna to the Government and lamented that his life was a failure.
The whole Scientific community was shocked to hear this action which indicates the wrong procedure and decision of the Union Government. Dr CNR Rao, Head, Advisory council to the Prime Minister of India being upset hearing the news remarked “People who have served the country, served the organisation for long, you cannot throw them like garbage. That’s what they have done. They have literally thrown them out of the window like garbage. Nobody will work for these (government) organisations if this is the way they are treated”. He voiced outrage at this action.
Vijnana Bharati feels Institutions cannot grow without individuals. Dr G Madhavan Nair who brought the scientific image of our country to the pinnacle of glory through a number of successful missions is not merely an individual.
Vijnana Bharati does not want similar events to happen in the Indian Scientific World and pleads the Government of India to drop all the proceedings against Dr Madhavan Nair and his colleague scientists and restore them to their original status. Otherwise this will create wrong signals which will retard the progress of Indian Science.
