The seeds that our legendary visionaries sowed in beginning of the last century have ripened into harvest. The list of these great souls is endless, if Tata’s, Birla’s proved their mettle in business then it is scientists like S S Bhatnagar, Homi J Bhava and Vikram Sarabhai who chalked out the flight trajectory for Indian scientific growth.
The days I remember like the faces of long lost friends, when in the early morning I used to glue to TV screen to witness the launch of ISRO built satellite to orbit by European Space Agency from Kourou Space Centre,
The life of this charismatic, energetic and good looking leader of Indian Scientific revolution was a chequered. The kaleidoscope of his life can never be drawn on a single plane. A brief account of his various life stages would be better a option to capture few glimpses of this extraordinary personality.
His parents, early childhood and education
Vikram born to an affluent businessman
Ambalal chose
Born as sixth offspring to such parents in 1919, Vikram inherited virtues of both of his parents and a reflection of which can be seen in his entire professional and personal life. As a child with sharp physical features he remained a cynosure and after he grew up remained as an unfulfilled dream for many.
When all the toddlers of Sarabhai family grew up, for their parents the next big challenge was to provide them with a kind of education which will develop them into humans’ not just individuals. On a voyage to
In addition, the family would embark on long vacations to several places in
Groomed in such an ambience, though did not have similar results on all the siblings. The eldest Mridula and Vikram left family nest in early stage of their life and stayed away. Their appeal was more towards mass – based ideals, whereas other siblings pursued their own dreams in their own way but remained aloof from each other and instances of broken marriage and alcoholism found their foot print in ‘The (broken) Retreat’.
Secondary education and beginning of scientific life
In childhood, Vikram’s teachers observed his inclination towards pure science. Latter Vikram had collaborated with Khimjibhai Mistry, a carpenter to build a steam engine with tracks. This prompted his parents to add a workshop in The Retreat followed by a Physics and Chemistry lab.
Once he completed his basic education he joined
Vikram was working on Cosmic Ray for his Post Graduate Degree, a lesser known area in Physics and as C V Raman was pre-occupied with his studies on sound waves, was of little help and guidance. So Vikram continued with his studies on his special way. A major change was just about to happen in his life in
Other than their academic similarities they had a startling resemblance in social standings as well. Thus, it took no time for them to strike a friendship and to enjoy their evenings together with few more friends. This is the time when Vikram bought himself a house on the northern part of
Vikram and Mrinalini
Vikram had penchant for performing arts like music, dance which brought him closure to renowned Bharatanatyam dancer, Ram Gopal where he met his prospective wife Mrinalini. Though this was not for the first time they met, as Vikarm’s mother and Mrinalini’s mother had a common interest in politics and they were known to each other. Both Vikram and Mrinalini had their first loves in forms of science for former and Bharatanatyam for latter, but they courted each other during their stay in
The love was intense on both sides but their families had some apprehension about this relationship and what is more intriguing that at a time when this relationship was glowing like full moon,
The moment when the newly wed reached ‘The Retreat’ it had a long drawn face with most of the women of Sarabhai clan were languishing in jail for their active participation in Quit India movement and more worse was the eldest of the sarabhai son Suhrid was bed ridden. However, all these never intimidated him from pursuing his scientific studies and he continued on his trail for Cosmic Rays. It is time when he was delivered his great managerial skills by arranging a trip to
Even though Ambalal and Sarla encouraged their children to think differently, but they never accepted Mrinalini in the same spirit they known for. This period was a challenge for Mrinalini to find her feet right in ‘The Retreat’. More disaster was about to strike. A misfired burning canister of a marriage procession came and hit Mrinalini on her eye. A long convalescence to follow which broke Mrinalini in body and mind. When Mrinalini was recovering Suhrid died.
During Mrinalini’s illness Vikram showed exemplary care and concern for Mrinalini, one of the attributes he inherited from his father. After a brief stay in ‘The Retreat’ the couple returned to ‘Premalaya’. He encouraged Mrinalini to concentrate on her career and, hence, added a new floor in Premalaya for her dance practice. In between his busy schedule, taking every minute care in her stage shows about the arrangements. One more virtue acquired from his father, fastidiousness.
Indian independence and dreams to achieve
Under the tutelage of
The Ahmedabad Textile Industry’s Research Association (ATIRA) was the first institution started by Vikram with tacit support of Kasturbhai and the beginning was a modest one. It was housed in AMA building and latter on moved to Gujarat University Campus. The Institute started with four staffs. While ATIRA was taking shape Vikram had something else in his mind. A Research Laboratory for Cosmic Ray and Nuclear Physics. Once again this had the footprints of Vikram’s business acumen. The beginning was with financial support from Sarabhai’s own Karmakshestra Educational Foundation and land was provided by The Ahmedabad Education Society run by Kasturbhai. Students who had a penchant to work on the field of Nuclear Physics and Cosmic Ray started to pour in. Slowly and slowly the reputation of the Institute spread and in 1952 the foundation stone of a new laboratory was laid in presence of S S Bhatnagar,
When Vikram was busy in his research works one more Institute took shape Tata Institute of Fundamental Research by Homi J Bhava and in August 1948, An Atomic Energy Commission was constituted later to be known as DAE (Department of Atomic Energy).
Meanwhile, his dancer wife had her own set of fortune waiting to embrace her. After her motherhood she had once again started stage shows both inland and abroad along with her Troupe ‘Darpan’.
If the things were moving in favour of Vikram and Mrinalini so also for Ambalal. His fortune was multiplying and the Chemical business mantle was passed on to Vikram after a detailed discussion in the family with some specific goal to achieve, apparent from the circumstances that had to follow.
The Institutes constituted or managed by Vikram had a distinct feature in common and that was belief in Organizational Culture, presence or lack of which inherited by the organizations from their founders. When ATIRA had finally started to contribute in terms of technical know how and process re-engineering, the very patrons of ATIRA started to buzz away from the suggestions. The reason was Gujurati businessmen rely more on their hunch than systematic/scientific deductions in maters concerning to their business. This was the time when Vikram was under considerable pressure from activities concerning ATIRA,
Vikram and his other love
In ATIRA the Industrial Psychology segment was looked after by a young woman
Caring for his employees or relatives came natural to Vikram from his father but in case of Kamla there is something else. Kamla and Mrinalini were friends from Shantiniketan and had relationship even after they part their way.
The hostility shown by workers thawed by the relentless pursue by ATIRA team under able leadership of Vikram. The time remains always one step ahead than us, which makes it the most invincible force of our age. When Mrinalini was away on her tours, Kamla and Vikram started to share chemistry beyond boundary of the professional relationship.
This was a kind of allegiance difficult to understand and equally difficult to explain. But, for a person with such complex reasoning and loyal lover, this was very rare and unexpected. This is a reason for which
The people’s man
As the professional activities of Vikram were now in and around Ahmedabad he preferred to stay in outskirts of Ahmedabad in a newly built house designed by his sister Gira and called as ‘Chidamvaram’. His all ventures were doing brisk business. The reason behind his success was to touch upon nerve of people.
When he took over the reins of Sarabhai Chemicals he knew
One more striking features of his management style was competition. The small time statistical organization Operation Research Group (
India ’s flight into outer space
When the world was euphoric about the launch of manned mission to space
On request of
It is in this responsibility that his skill to judge talents had fully bloomed and left its footprint all around. All the present or retired leaders of Indian space research were his choice and
The role of rocket science at that point of was only utilized or viewed in prospective of weapons. But Vikram had other motives in his mind as far as
The humiliation of Indian forces by Chinese army had left a scar on Indian defense strategy. Thus, on the rhetoric of
The rising crest and falling trough
When Vikram’s life was buzzing with activities of his choice, those had their own cost. His association with diverse activities of science and business had reduced him to a guest at home. His exhausted foreign tours, business meetings and visit to
New roles and new challenges
Life always moves ahead at one time as a whole and at some other time in bits and pieces. The life for Vikram was going on in its own pace but the sad demise of Nehru and Homi J Bhava in quick succession turned upside down the whole scenario for him. After
Then DAE was apparently headless and a suitable person to head the organization was imperative. Though, the renowned Indian Scientist Chandrasekhar was first choice but as he had a
The path in DAE was not rosy. At one end he had to fight a battle with international community in convincing them about transfer of nuclear technology for peaceful purpose against the pseudo non-proliferation advocacy forwarded by developed countries and at the other hand trying to overcome the internal resistance offered by Homi Ashthna, the self proclaimed successor of Dr Bhava.
The world had witnessed the catastrophic capabilities of a nuclear bomb but equally amused by the promise it held for development of mankind whether it is inform of energy, medicine, industrial usage etc. Vikram had always abhorred the use of nuclear technology as a weapon of mass destruction rather preferred it as an alternate and formidable energy source for a power-starve
In these busy days one solace came to him from his daughter Mallika. The relationship between Kamla and Vikram was never acceptable to Mallika but a trivial school matter broke the ice between father and daughter.
In between his busy schedule he had never distanced himself from Thumba. He would pack of to Space centre once in a fortnight, spending a busy forty eight hours, studying about 45 reports of 6000 pages, monitoring the developments and running through several meetings.
His vision to exploit outer space technology in spreading education, awareness had taken a concrete step forward when
Though Vikram had his own goals to meet, a covert attempt was on to develop nuclear explosion capability under the aegis of
In between all these busy schedule he never halted for a moment. Project at BARC was on to develop a Fast breeder reactor, at Sriharikota a Satellite launch strip was under development, in Thumba the progress of SLV-3 was catching up pace. Further, ISRO was constituted after restructuring of INCONSPAR. In spite of these busy schedules, he always found time for societal and other obligations. This near machine existence was eroding him from inside. Something more disturbing happened during this time, a rift between himself and Indira, the apparent reason for difference was ideology, when Vikram had his focus on long-term sustainability through a holistic development of
The end of a great soul
The New Year was approaching and Vikram promised Mallika for a grand celebration at Ahmedabad with all family members. Meanwhile, against wishes of others, Mallika had decided to try her luck in Mumbai film industry. As per the culture of Sarabhai family she had a tacit support from her father and mother. On 28th December morning, father and daughter left house at the first glimpse of light, one to board a flight for Thumba and the other for an early morning shoot.
The two days in Thumba witnessed a flurry of activities and on 30th Morning he had to catch a flight for Mumbai.
The room was silence, Vikram was lying on the bed with an open book on chest and by the time the rising sun trying to force through his room, his soul had already on a voyage to eternity.
The Review
Most of the time I found Biographies as Hagiographical account of an individual justifying every act, however, good or bad it may be. But this book is unique and so also Amrita Shah, the author. This book is a true tribute to a great Indian soul.
The author has collated the information from all the reliable sources and later arranging them like beads in jewelry. The flow of Vikram’s life was like a river which enriches the civilization of all riparian states on its bank, so also the book, every chapter adding a new insight to his character. The rise of Vikram as a scientist, then as an entrepreneur and finally like a visionary leader is a mesmerizing saga of an Indian scientist who built a castle out of dust.
The description of Gujurati society and its impact on his parents and Vikram is a vivid representation of facts. Those are the key factors that latter helped Vikram in imbibing Indian values and ethos. The book has made an honest effort in bringing forth the support and hostility faced by Vikram on his journey to fulfill his dreams.
While describing about the relationship between Kamla and Vikram, the author has taken a great care to decipher the reasons behind such an affair, not easily acceptable to society and his family members. But those views are based on personal explanation offered by Vikram on various accounts to Mrinalini and Mallika.
The book has its own pace and charm which makes it enchanting. The final chapter describing the farewell offered to Vikram is the most striking account of emotion towards this soul, may be because of her feelings towards
The strength of Vikram was to see 50 years beyond his time and it was only possible because of his ability to dream and believe in people. Once French author Anatole
It is 25 long year years since Vikram had left this world to abode heaven but still remembered and revered as a star in the sky giving strength and guidance to our future generations.
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