DIMAPUR, JULY 28 (MExN): Professor Ashoke K Dutta, Director IIM Shillong welcomed Dr. K Radhakrishnan, Chairman Space Commission, Secretary Department of Space and Chairman ISRO in the campus on 26th of July 2011. Prof Dutta while thanking Dr. Radhakrishnan talked about the brand value that ISRO enjoys in India as well as abroad and the role played by Dr. Radhakrishnan in achieving that.
Dr. K Radhakrishnan then addressed the students of IIM Shillong in a full packed auditorium. While asked, being an alumnus of IIM Bangalore, how he landed up in ISRO, he talked about his inspiration in Vikram Sarabhai. He spoke about the vision of ISRO which is to bring about social welfare through utilization of space technology. He related how space technology can be used to combat the problem of food crisis and illiteracy. He also walked through pages of history way back in 1963 when the seed of ISRO was born in Thiruvananthapuram which is located on the magnetic line of earth. “From being nascent in space technology to being in the distinguished company of six nations who have the capability to launch satellites from their own soil and that too in a span of just 50 years, is a journey which every Indian is proud of,” said Dr Radhakrishnan. India has also become the 4th nation in world who can bring an object back from the orbit of the satellite.
Remembering the golden old days when ISRO had just started Dr Radhakrishnan said that as fresh young engineers, post graduates joined the company with their enthusiasm and high spirits, the sky was the limit. From the world of theory, gradually ISRO transformed to world of reality. India is able to achieve the best economics in space exploration programs as its spending is just 3% of NASA’s spending, 10-15% of Europe’s expenditure, and one third of what China spends in its space exploration programs. Discussing the tangible and non tangible benefits of space technology, he said that India can feel proud of the returns that it can leverage out of its space exploration programme and that too at such low costs.
Talking about ISRO culture Dr Radhakrishnan said that ISRO has its own way of doing things which people are trying to emulate in government as well as non - government organisations. “ISRO can be a subject of detailed study for management students as it is a learning organisation. You can see things happening there. Nothing in ISRO is stagnant. Every employee of the organisation is clear about achieving goals based on principles laid down by its founder Dr Vikram Sarabhai.” Every presentation that is made in the organisation is based on the vision of organisation i.e. how the present technology can benefit society. Management in ISRO follows unrealistic schedules to fulfil the long term goals, by breaking all rules and putting new paths. At the same time the organisation is realistic in trying to achieve short term.
In ISRO all are equal when it comes to the technical activities and technical decisions. Terming the space exploration as a risky project as there is a thin line between success and failure, Dr Radhakrishnan gave an example as how because of one DC convertor’s fault a whole project had to be aborted. Besides there is also space weather and solar flaring in space which can upset the electronic system in a satellite.
Dr. K Radhakrishnan then addressed the students of IIM Shillong in a full packed auditorium. While asked, being an alumnus of IIM Bangalore, how he landed up in ISRO, he talked about his inspiration in Vikram Sarabhai. He spoke about the vision of ISRO which is to bring about social welfare through utilization of space technology. He related how space technology can be used to combat the problem of food crisis and illiteracy. He also walked through pages of history way back in 1963 when the seed of ISRO was born in Thiruvananthapuram which is located on the magnetic line of earth. “From being nascent in space technology to being in the distinguished company of six nations who have the capability to launch satellites from their own soil and that too in a span of just 50 years, is a journey which every Indian is proud of,” said Dr Radhakrishnan. India has also become the 4th nation in world who can bring an object back from the orbit of the satellite.
Remembering the golden old days when ISRO had just started Dr Radhakrishnan said that as fresh young engineers, post graduates joined the company with their enthusiasm and high spirits, the sky was the limit. From the world of theory, gradually ISRO transformed to world of reality. India is able to achieve the best economics in space exploration programs as its spending is just 3% of NASA’s spending, 10-15% of Europe’s expenditure, and one third of what China spends in its space exploration programs. Discussing the tangible and non tangible benefits of space technology, he said that India can feel proud of the returns that it can leverage out of its space exploration programme and that too at such low costs.
Talking about ISRO culture Dr Radhakrishnan said that ISRO has its own way of doing things which people are trying to emulate in government as well as non - government organisations. “ISRO can be a subject of detailed study for management students as it is a learning organisation. You can see things happening there. Nothing in ISRO is stagnant. Every employee of the organisation is clear about achieving goals based on principles laid down by its founder Dr Vikram Sarabhai.” Every presentation that is made in the organisation is based on the vision of organisation i.e. how the present technology can benefit society. Management in ISRO follows unrealistic schedules to fulfil the long term goals, by breaking all rules and putting new paths. At the same time the organisation is realistic in trying to achieve short term.
In ISRO all are equal when it comes to the technical activities and technical decisions. Terming the space exploration as a risky project as there is a thin line between success and failure, Dr Radhakrishnan gave an example as how because of one DC convertor’s fault a whole project had to be aborted. Besides there is also space weather and solar flaring in space which can upset the electronic system in a satellite.
