Dr Navneet Kumar Gupta and Dr Biju Dharmapalan
Name of the book : ‘Space: The India Story’
Author : Dinesh C Sharma
The human mind has always been intrigued by the vastness of outer space. Since antiquity, civilisations have observed the stars, developing beliefs and mythologies to elucidate the cosmos. Nonetheless, it was just in the 20th century that scientific and technological advancements sufficiently progressed to address some enduring enquiries through observation, inquiry, and expedition. The advancement of space exploration has enabled humanity to acquire knowledge about Earth’s celestial counterparts and remote worlds. Recent decades have witnessed transformative advancements in this domain, encompassing both the exploration of the unknown and practical applications including communication, remote sensing, and navigation. India has emerged as a competitive participant among nations that have achieved substantial advancements in space research, positioning itself as a leader in space technology.
India’s trajectory in space science and technology is distinctive. As a nascent nation, it embarked on space research with constrained resources yet ample ambition and innovation. Despite being an underdog in the global space race, India successfully established a niche through inventive and economical solutions. ‘Space: The India Story,’ written by science writer Dinesh C. Sharma, offers a captivating narrative of India’s space exploration. This book chronicles the nation’s space flights and recounts the amazing narrative of a country overcoming challenges such as poverty and hunger to emerge as a leader in space exploration. As India prepares for its most ambitious space mission, Gaganyaan, global attention is directed towards its advancements. Sharma’s book, written in an engaging and reader-friendly style, blends scientific narratives with human stories, making it an essential read for anyone interested in India’s space journey.
The book comprises two sections: ‘India in Space’ and ‘Indians in Space.’ The first portion covers India’s space program, from its early years to recent interplanetary missions. The second section examines Indian astronauts, both historical and prospective, highlighting their contributions and experiences. The author emphasizes that astronauts like Sunita Williams, Kalpana Chawla, and Raja Chari, though of Indian origin, are global citizens. Their accomplishments are founded on determination, perseverance, and diligence, inspiring youth in India and beyond.
The introductory part of the book takes readers back to the origins of India’s space program. It highlights how India embarked on space exploration shortly after the Soviet Union and the United States initiated their space programs. This resulted in the formation of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), a name now emblematic of groundbreaking space research and missions. The book explores how visionary physicist Vikram Sarabhai established the framework of India’s space program and how his successor, Satish Dhawan, advanced it following Sarabhai’s premature death. Readers are presented with the historical importance of India’s inaugural sounding rocket launch from Thumba, Kerala, on November 21, 1963, which signified the commencement of India’s space exploration endeavours.
One of the book’s chapters covers India’s initial space projects, such as Aryabhata, the country’s first satellite, which was launched in 1975. It also discusses APPLE (Ariane Passenger PayLoad Experiment), India’s first experimental communication satellite, launched in 1981 from Kourou, French Guiana. The author vividly captures the excitement and challenges of early space missions through his firsthand experiences of reporting on them in the 1980s. His narrative provides a glimpse into the trials and triumphs of India’s early space endeavours.
The book explores the utilisation of space technology and its effects on the lives of average Indians. A significant advancement in this context was the Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE), initiated in partnership with NASA in 1975. This venture sought to deliver instructional and instructive television programming to rural India, showcasing the promise of space technology for societal advancement. The launch of the multipurpose satellite system INSAT constituted a significant milestone, facilitating telecommunications, weather forecasting, and disaster management. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) employed satellite data for precise weather forecasting, aiding sectors such as agriculture, aviation, and disaster management. The book highlights the transformative impact of space technology across various domains, such as healthcare, transportation, and environmental monitoring.
The initial section finishes with an examination of India’s ambitious space endeavours, encompassing Chandrayaan-1, Chandrayaan-2, the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan), Chandrayaan-3, and Aditya-L1. These missions have positioned India inside an exclusive cadre of space-faring nations. The accomplishments of Chandrayaan-1 in identifying water molecules on the moon and Mangalyaan’s economical Mars expedition are significant successes, showcasing India’s capacity to attain remarkable outcomes with constrained resources.
The second half of the book, ‘Indians in Space,’ examines the individuals who have represented India in space exploration. The section commences with a comprehensive biography of Rakesh Sharma, India’s inaugural cosmonaut. Sharma, an Indian Air Force fighter pilot, realised his childhood aspiration of space travel upon his selection for the Soviet Intercosmos program. In his historic 1984 spaceflight, Sharma engaged in a notable debate with the then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, during which he famously characterised India as ‘Sare Jahan Se Achha.’
The book also features the inspiring story of Kalpana Chawla, who became the first Indian-born woman to travel to space. Born in Karnal, Haryana, Chawla pursued her passion for aerospace engineering and became a NASA astronaut. She spent over 30 days in space across two shuttle missions, contributing significantly to space research. Unfortunately, her life was tragically cut short in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003. The book sensitively recounts her final mission, honoring her contributions to space exploration.
The book also goes into great detail about Sunita Williams, another well-known Indian-origin astronaut. Chosen as a NASA astronaut in 1998, Williams spent significant time on the International Space Station (ISS) and set records for spacewalks by women and spent considerable time aboard the ISS. The book quickly brings up other Indian-origin space travellers including Shawna Pandya, an Indo-Canadian scientist engaged in the citizen-science astronaut program; Santhosh George Kulangara, India’s first registered space tourist; and Sirisha Bandla, the fourth person of Indian descent to travel to space.
Aiming to launch Indian astronauts into space on an indigenous spaceship, India’s ambitious Gaganyaan project gets the last chapter of the book. The book covers India’s future intentions for space exploration, including possible trips to Venus, Chandrayaan-4, and the Bharatiya Antariksha Station (India’s intended space station), as well as the demanding training process for the chosen astronauts. Sharma underlines that India’s space program should not be only a source of national pride but should also be a weapon for the improvement of society.
‘Space: The India Story’ is, all things considered, a fascinating book that offers a whole perspective of India’s space path by means of historical narratives, scientific accomplishments, and human anecdotes. Archival images, interesting stories, and well-researched information enhance the book, which makes it an interesting read for both casual readers and space lovers. Its capacity to clarify difficult scientific ideas, hence enabling a wider audience to appreciate them, is one of the book’s main assets. Sharma expertly combines a rich story emphasising India’s amazing development in space research.
Anyone curious about India’s contributions to space science and technology should read “In Space: The India Story.” This book motivates would-be scientists and astronauts by highlighting the tenacity, commitment, and creativity of individuals who have formed India’s space program. It is a tribute to the nation’s accomplishments and the infinite opportunities still to come as it pushes the frontiers of space exploration.
(Dr Navneet Kumar Gupta is a New Delhi-based freelance science communicator and
Dr. Biju Dharmapalan is the Dean -Academic Affairs, Garden City University, Bangalore)
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