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A moment to cherish for Abdul Kalam

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It was a moment to cherish for President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) here on Thursday, and a rare one in anyone's career.

Dr. Kalam was the mission director for the SLV-3 launch in 1980. Now, he was joining the Jubilee celebrations of the launch as President of India and chief guest at the celebrations. He responded with a vision statement that drew the road map for space technology development for the next 25 years -- a tough road that the new generation at the Centre would have to drive through. If he had spent the previous evening with his former colleagues and old timers at the Centre, including former directors, he spent the latter part of this morning with the younger generation. Possibly, he would have advised them in more detail on the course to be taken in the coming 20 to 30 years. His vision, if fulfilled, would see India treading a new path in space technology.

Earlier, the president witnessed a symbolic but real launch of the sounding rocket, RH 200. It was 43 years ago that the first sounding rocket had taken off from the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS), which is now part of the VSSC complex. The la Assembly, which was in session then, had adjourned to enable the members to witness the launch. The Centre is launching a series of sounding rockets this fortnight to study the monsoon.

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