If you think I was happy to see Sadhguru or our PM at ISRO Control room at the zero hour of this 7th September, you are wrong.

As much as I appreciate our PM’s thoughtfulness as to be there when ISRO was about to make history (without a wink of sleep right from the Russia tour), I wish he had rather missed the event (even in the rare case of being invited). I wish the Sadhguru had stayed away as well. The media presence was a menace, a nightmare. True, I was carried over by the hype myself.

My heart goes out to the scientists, technicians and engineers, especially the unassuming ISRO chairman Dr K Sivan who were distracted to maximum degree the D Day with the fuss that must have been generated around the VIP presence. Was it a space agency or circus?

Not that the critical manoeuvre of the Lander Vikram was a last minute job. Chandrayaan 2 has been an ongoing project since July 22nd. Everything was set. Only buttons needed to be pressed for the lander to separate from the orbiter and make it to the moon’s surface. Yet, one cannot underestimate the high level of significance attached to this grand finale. The ultimate climax.

None of us especially those from scientific community were enraged or disappointed. We only became sad. I am married to an engineer and I am mother of an engineer. I know what it takes to execute something with scientific precision. I know the stress levels. I know the men’s sense of responsibility. I know that success could still be all elusive, despite doing everything textbook-correct.

Only if you have a sound academic background can you ever think the way I do.

I read a funny comment on this in social media. It is good that many people share my views, especially working professionals.

A man had posted in Tamil that, ‘beloved parents of a girl may give away their darling daughter in a lavish wedding but that does not mean they have to insist to be present in her suhaag raath!’ It came as a bolt really.

How will a surgeon feel if the kith and kin of a patient insist on being in the operation theater when his cardiac bypass surgery could be underway.

Comparatively, Chandrayaan 1 launch was a low keyed affair drawing minimum media attention. We knew about facts after they were presented by ISRO to the media.

I hear Sadhguru lectures. In one of them, he says how he sought to be alone on his own for a number of days/weeks/years to gain inner consciousness. Or a higher level of consciousness. Solitude seems to be very important to this well known spiritual guru famous for lecturing everyone. Sadhguru ji, can’t you still realize what harm you were doing to ISRO with your unwarranted presence. I have respects for you, but i am not a blind follower. I have contributed to your Cauvery Calling in my permissible individual capacity, but neither will I forget the elephant corridor you took over for Isha. I have been there myself. I have seen it with my own eyes.  My heart did not stop because of the Isha. But it stopped thinking, ‘where will the elephants go.  I do not care about what the Karunya Christian group of institutions is doing. I only know this is not the way of Shiva. I may not be enlightened like you, but I am enlightened enough to have my heart dominate my mind.

Suppose the contractor company MD has to come and sit with the construction worker working on a temporary steel platform erected in the air for a 100 storey building. Dear Prime Minister, what do you think will happen to the poor worker. Civil engineering dare devils. In our culture we don’t even eat well in others’ presence fearing ‘nazar.’

ISRO can do without the glam cheer boys seriously! For them, this is just one more photo-op what else!

I wondered whether I must bare my heart and blog this. Then I told myself, who must I be scared of. I have to be scared of only my Manasakshi. My conscience. I am answerable only to my conscience. Who else must I fear or be answerable to. There are people who all fear and respect. Then there are those who are loved most. I would rather belong to the second kind.

Media too had a very damaging role to play in all this, trying to make a scientific feat into a third rate Bollywood tamasha – all for what? For stupid TRP ratings my foot! Shame on these guys!

DEAR VIPS AND MEDIA, PLEASE LEAVE ISRO ALONE TO DO THEIR JOB!

This minute by minute scrutiny will only make them feel acutely self-conscious and guilty at heart for no reason. These guys have done nothing wrong. They are doing their duty to their best. ISRO is not your fancy fast food restaurant to serve your ego at your whim and fancy.

The success of ISRO must not be allowed to be hijacked by any VIP whoever it may be. ISRO must not share credit for their milestones with anyone – the pride is India’s.

One of these days, who knows Vikram lander might communicate after all. Of the 14 solar days of it’s life, an estimated 11 remain as of today. Anything is possible.

Wishing ISRO all the success in future! One step at a time. I know the pain of hardwork, patience and failure. Nothing is possible overnight. But success will be around the corner soon.

 

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My blog post on Chandrayaan I, India’s first Moon mission way back in 2008 . Chandrayaan 1 incidentally found water on the moon. India discovered water on lunar surface. (with no edit)