Chandrayaan- 1

Last sunday when I went through the "Hindu" open page, there was an article that mentioned about the state spending on missiles and moon missions. It was then that I thought I should take out an article I wrote in my diary dated 22-10-'08

Chandrayaan- 1

      The Rs. 386 crore moon mission of India, Chandrayaan-1 has been successfully launched today. Chandrayaan-1 is the first Indian lunar satellite and the mission period is 2 years. It entered its preliminary orbit today, dropped as programmed by the PSLV C-11 carrier vehicle that took off from Sriharikottah this morning. PSLV is an indegenous satellite launching vehicle and this its 3rd consecutive success. With this India is elevated to the elite group of nations that are members of the moon research project viz Russia, U.S, Japan, China and EU.

     No doubt, this is a great milestone for ISRO and the media is celebrating the event with all enthusiasm. Chandrayaan is even sending a probe to study the moon's surface!! 

     On this momentous day, every Indian feels proud. I met people saying this project would help India's overall development. Others said it would instantaneously elevate India's stature as a global super power. I said, well it might be true, considering the 40 crores of starving tummies we have to feed.

    400 crores of rupees for Indians to know the moon better? Can I make a suggestion here? Lets  first learn how to read and write!! With around 35 crores of people people who've never touched a pen in their lives, its very appropriate to send a mission to study the complexities of the moon.

Here are some facts about our country.

• 71% of the rural population don't have minimum sanitation facilities. They excrete in the open.
• 40 crores of Indians can't afford three meals a day
• The largest number of malnourished children live in India.
• Electricity hasn't reached 20% of India's rural areas.

Surprised? there's even more. Not even 1% of the GDP is spent towards healthcare facilities. India is way behind most of sub Saharan Africa when it comes to crucial infrastructure like roads.

      I'm a staunch supporter of progress in scientific research. But our focus at the moment must be in narrowing the gap between the urban middle class and the majority of our population that continues to live in sub human conditions. Scientific research should be in most crucial areas like cheap and renewable energy for the millions who still live in the dark, cheap housing and sanitation facilities, irrigation, drinking water, roads and basic infrastructure that would raise the quality of life, usher in new industries and drive our economy right from the roots. Space technology and moon missions can wait.

     As long as there are over 400 million people whose lives revolve around procuring by any means a meal to keep them alive, all the hype surrounding the so- called  milestone of ISRO seems meaningless.

  

Josephine Varghese

22-10-'08

My life

Until last week, i had hope... hope of reaching my destination.. But as things turned out, I'll have to wait longer for it. And the more time passes, the more uncertain it becomes..

I want to start my career as soon as possible, so that I can contribute my maximum, at the earliest. But I'm let down.. By whom? By myself. I have to give it another shot..

Well, tomorrow, I'm leaving.. my little part time job- source of confidence and ofcourse money- at stake.. I've already lost some precious days of class.. Oh yes, I'll be coming back in less than a month.

Disheartened I am- no- I should never be.. For true brave fight even when defeat is certain.

Good Bye.

(will see you soon)