Wings of fire - Sir APJ ABDUL KALAM Wings of fire | Page 31

today, we import hovercrafts. The project was mired in
controversies and was finally shelved. It was a new
experience for me. So far, I had believed that the sky was
the limit, but now it appeared that the limits were much
closer. There are boundaries that dictate life: you can only
lift so much weight; you can only learn so fast; you can only
work so hard; you can only go so far!
I was unwilling to face reality. I had put my heart and soul
into Nandi. That it would not be used was something
beyond my comprehension. I was disappointed and
disillusioned. In this period of confusion and uncertainty,
memories from my childhood came back to me and I
discovered new meanings in them.
Pakshi Sastry used to say, “Seek the truth, and the truth
shall set you free.” As the Bible says, “Ask and you shall
receive.” It did not happen immediately, but it happened
nevertheless. One day, Dr Mediratta called me. He inquired
about the state of our hovercraft. When told that it was in
perfect condition to be flown, he asked me to organize a
demonstration for an important visitor the next day. No VIP
was scheduled to visit the laboratory during the next week
as far as I knew. However, I communicated Dr Mediratta’s
instructions to my colleagues and we felt a new surge of
hope.
The next day Dr Mediratta brought a visitor to our
hovercraft—a tall, handsome, bearded man. He asked me
several questions about the machine. I was struck by the
objectivity and clarity of his thinking. “Can you give me a
ride in the machine?” he enquired. His request filled me
with joy. Finally, here was someone who was interested in
my work.
We took a ten-minute ride in the hovercraft, a few
centimetres above the ground. We were not flying, but were
definitely floating in the air. The visitor asked me a few
questions about myself, thanked me for the ride and
departed. But not before introducing himself—he was Prof.
MGK Menon, Director of the Tata Institute of Fundamental
Research (TIFR). After a week, I received a call from the
Indian Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR), to
attend an interview for the post of Rocket Engineer. All I
knew about INCOSPAR at that time was that it was formed
out of the TIFR talent pool at Bombay (now Mumbai) to
organize space research in India.
I went to Bombay to attend the interview. I was unsure
about the type of questions I would have to face at the
interview. There was hardly any time to read up or talk to
any experienced person. Lakshmana Sastry’s voice
quoting from the Bhagawad Gita echoed in my ears:
All beings are born to delusion . . . overcome by the
dualities which arise from wish and hate . . . . But those
men of virtuous deeds in whom sin has come to an end,
freed from the delusion of dualities, worship Me steadfast
in their vows.
I reminded myself that the best way to win was to not
need to win. The best performances are accomplished
when you are relaxed and free of doubt. I decided to take
things as they came. Since neither Prof. MGK Menon’s visit
nor the call for an interview had been of my making, I
decided this was the best attitude to take.
I was interviewed by Dr Vikram Sarabhai along with
Prof. MGK Menon and Mr Saraf, then the Deputy Secretary
of the Atomic Energy Commission. As I entered the room, I
sensed their warmth and friendliness. I was almost
immediately struck by Dr Sarabhai’s warmth. There was
none of the arrogance or the patronising attitudes which