This year’s Onam is just over. The boozers of the state brought some relief to the empty coffers of the Kerala government by making a collective ‘contribution’ of a mind boggling seven hundred crores of rupees in less than a week’s time. This is more than the cost of the Chandrayan-3 programme by a neat 100 crores! To me, as one who never celebrates any of the festivals, this Onam too would have passed off as a sedate one, but for a very special gift I received from one of my old students. A gift I will cherish forever.
Nizy Mathew. That’s her name. She was my student during 1999 – 2001 for her PG in Applied Physics. On completion of her PG studies from the CMS College, Kottayam, she along with her class mate Sheena Solomon proceeded to Germany to do another PG in Environment Science. After that I did not hear anything from her.
On the Onam eve I had a phone call with Nizy at the other end. I felt very happy to hear her voice after some twenty two years. Even though she sounded very upbeat I had no inkling of what she was going to tell me. When I showed interest in knowing what she was doing all these years, she told me:
“Sir, I am working in Thiruvanandapuram for the past twelve years and at present I am in Bangaluru in connection with the Chandrayan Project”
Chandrayan Project? Did I hear it correctly? After a moment of disbelief, chaos in thoughts and of course ecstasy, I expressed my joy and I don’t remember what all I told her.
Nizy after her environmental studies did a PhD in Microwave Remote Sensing and was settled in Germany, with her post-doctoral research. Seeing her published papers, a senior scientist at the VSSC contacted her and told her that she can join them if she was interested. She could not ask for more. Perhaps she might not have realised at that time that she was asking for the moon!
The girl who touched the Moon
Yes, Nizy is now the girl who touched the moon. Indeed she touched the moon surface without ‘burning her fingers’ at 50 degree Celsius. Nor did she freeze while probing the moon slightly below the surface at minus 10 degree Celsius. Yes, we can be proud of our scientists. They are made of sterner stuff.
Nizy was the leader of the team that fabricated the equipment used for physically ‘measuring’ the temperature of the moon. She was also assigned the task of analysing the signals received after such ‘measurements’.
Nizy was upbeat over the phone. She had all the right to be so. I could gather from her conversation as to how scientists work round the clock at the ISRO. Passion, dedication, determination, endurance greed to excel all rolled into one; that perhaps defines our scientists at the ISRO. Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Engineering; they have excelled in everything. They have mastered very high temperatures as well as very low temperatures. They have made 1.4 billion Indians proud. With this soft landing they have helped India crash-land on to the higher rungs in the elite list of nations with space technology at their disposal. Yes, the Rover is merrily engaged in 'Moon Walk' yet wisely avoiding those craters with deceptive looks, where no other nation ever dared to even peep into.
Nizy, after our telephonic conversation I am in a state of wild excitement, rapturous joy and my mind is in a chaotic state. I cannot concentrate even while praying. Don't blame me. I have every right to be mad! I am proud of you. Your Alma Mater is proud of you. The CMS College is yearning to receive you here at your earliest convenience. Your presence here will motivate the students to dedicate themselves to learning with an irresistible will to excel in life and be a part of the solemn duty of nation building, the way you and all the scientists at ISRO strive 24X7.
A big salute to the scientists at the ISRO. And thank you Nizy, for remembering me after all these years. Thank you Nizy, for remembering me even when you were there, ‘On The Top Of The World’. Don’t know how to congratulate you. Words become too insufficient to express oneself in such situations. God bless you.
Sir, I am overwhelmed to see your post. What more a student wants from her professor. Thank you sir for your wonderful narration. Loved reading 100 times and
ReplyDeletemore...
First of all congratulations to Ms Nizy Mathew and all other scientistis whose dedication and hardwork contributed to the success of the Chandrayan mission. And Rajan sir .....i know you are so happy and you feel an immense sense of pride and accomplishment. Your guiodance and mentorship at CMS is truly memorable ....Your love for physics will leave a lasting impact on the students you teach....and therefore we cant forget you sir.... absolutely passionate.... And one more thing ...my daughter is now in 10th. Till 9 th she loved Biology...but once i told her about doppler effect ...birth of universe etc...she started loving Astrophysics...She waited for the meteor shower last month at 1 am ...(unfortunately sky was coudy )..She was very much excited reading about Chandrayan and Aditya... And I am sure Nizy (my just Junior at CMS )will be an inspiration for my daughter too....All the best wishes for Nizy for more groundbreaking discoveries and projects in astrophysics....
ReplyDeleteI read your blog and felt very happy to know about contribution of your former student Ms Nizy to the success of chandrayan mission. Congratulations to both Ms Nizy Mathew and you. A teacher feels a genuine sense pride if his student achieves something great and specially if he/she remembers the teacher on that moment of success. Lovely blog ,expressing feelings of a true teacher ! We,the teachers of physics department of St.John's College, also feel honoured ,in having you as our old student.
ReplyDeleteIts amazing how our space programme is working. Don't know what to write. One amazing point is most or all of those names which came up with our space programme are from our Govt. Engineering colleges or like institutions. These scientists greatness is not only in achievements but their commitment and untiring hard work. I am sure each one would have resisted the temptation of higher remuneration and better quality of life abroad. My hearty congratulations to Nizi and her colleagues. May God bless them and compensate them adequately.
ReplyDeleteAfter 22 years of disconnect, there could be no better way of presenting a gift by a student to her Professor. What an incredible achievement by our scientific community. Stories of such scientists should be brought out by our media too instead of spreading negativity. Your blog made the story of Nizy Mathew all the more beautiful 👌🙏
ReplyDeleteExtremely happy about the fruit of hardship by a great teacher and a wonderful student. Congratulations 👍
ReplyDeleteThe authors of the 2 comments are marked 'Anonymous'. I wish I knew their names. To have the names there, one has to type that also. Now let me tell this. 'Wonderful student", I accept. 'Great Teacher', I wont. Nizy has come up to this height of glory on her own. Honestly I have no role. I told this to Nizy also.
DeleteSir was always there to motivate us while we were in CMS. The association was too close. Did all what he could while I was going to Germany.
DeleteSir the way you wrote about this experience is so beautiful in itself...never to say the happiness it must have brought to you...It was great to hear such wonderful news about one of our alumnus...Hopefully we could also one day give such good news to you...
ReplyDeleteI came to know about Rajan sir through my wife @Merin Maria Augustin who is a former student of sir. We met for the first time in sir's home and it was a nice experience to have a conversation with him. Now after knowing that sir's student contributed towards Chandrayaan 3 mission, I got excited and felt proud for Rajan sir. I take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt congratulations to you and your student @Nizy Mathew for her remarkable contribution to the Chandrayaan 3 mission. @Nizy Mathew : Your expertise in the relevant field has been invaluable to the mission's success. I look forward to seeing more groundbreaking contributions from your team in the future. I also wish more and more students of Rajan sir may contribute to our nation's development in the future under various fields. Once again, congratulations, and best wishes.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for the wishes.
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ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Ms. Nizy Mathew and the team at ISRO. With Chandrayan 3 and what followed, our space program is now beyond belief. The emotions and pride I felt watching the live stream were high. I would love to know how it was at ISRO.
ReplyDeleteI really wanted to hear from Ms. Nizy Mathew, her experience during the landing and the success of the mission, but I couldn't attend the program at CMS College. In fact, I wanted to know more about what happened before the launch - the planning, the work, the effort everyone at ISRO put into the project, and most importantly, Ms. Mathew's experience and hardwork at and before ISRO. I hope I can listen to your talks at a later time. Wishing you and your team the very best for your upcoming endeavors
After reading the blog, I don't know what to say to Rajan sir, I am emotional. He has been both a teacher and a mentor for me. The constraints he placed on me, though I did not understand fully at first, helped me be a better student, and the random conversations had in it advices to be a better person. Now that my postgraduate studies are over, I wonder if, sir, I can continue to be your student.
Again congratulations and best wishes to Ms. Nizy Mathew, and ISRO.
Adhip, thanks for the comments. You can get my contact number from sir. I would love to share my experience.
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