Oomman K Varghese was my student during 1989-91 for his MSc. Later he received his PhD from IIT-Delhi. From there he went to Kentucky University, Pennsylvania State University and currently he is at the Houston University. Recently there was a half-a-page writeup in the Malayala Manorama detailing his achievements in the field of new type of solar cells. As his former teacher I felt immensely proud reading it. That day I received some 50 phone calls from students of various MSc batches asking me whether this is the same Oomman I used to talk about in their classes. (50 is a little too much. But then there is no story without a little exaggerati0n)
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For the past few months not a day had passed without heated discussions on the idiot box over the "solar issue/scam". Suddenly every politician has become an expert on solar matters. With so much of home grown experts on solar matters, I wonder why Oomman should struggle in the scorching sun in the U.S. These stupid discussions with all kinds of masalas drove ordinary people into thinking that anything solar is something obscene.
A month back I was visiting one of my relatives. His small little son was just back from the school. He asked his father:
"Pappa, why these leaders are so shamelessly using the word 'solar' on the TV?"
The bewildered father said:
"Why Mon? What is to be ashamed about it? Solar means something related to the sun"
And the poor boy was not convinced:
"But my friend told me that solar means #@#!:#$##"
"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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After the article on Oomman's achievements in the Malayala Manorama I heard many people talking about solar power, solar cells etc. Let us hope that there shall be no more solar flares !
THANK YOU OOMMAN.
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