My Science School

In 2006, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam visited the Navy submarine INS Sindhurakshak. (It was later destroyed in an accidental explosion in 2013 at the Mumbai naval dockyard).

Dr. Kalam went on board the INS Sindhurakshak, a Russian-origin kilo class submarine, from the Visakhapatnam naval dockyard. He was the first Indian president to undertake such a journey. Kalam had previously visited a submarine in the harbour during his tenure as the Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister. But this was a three-and-a half hour journey during which Kalam shared lunch with the crew members.

Later he said about his experience: “It was my first experience (to sail in a submarine underwater) and I learnt how the silent force of the Indian Navy would function when it was underwater. Success comes if we work very hard in the midst of challenges. I experienced the challenges the submarine faces to make our country powerful,” Kalam had said.

Picture Credit : Google

It was Dr. Kalam’s childhood dream to join the Indian Air Force, but he was ranked ninth in a test conducted to select eight officers! Anyway, he must have felt his old dream coming true, as he took a 30-minute long flight in a Sukhoi-30MKI when he was president.

On July 28, 2015, on the 50th anniversary of the Lohegaon Air Force base, he co-piloted the Sukhoi-30 MKI with Wing Commander Ajay Rathore, who was the commanding of ficer of the Lightning Squadron based at Lohegaon. Before setting out on this flight, Dr. Kalam received a guard of honour. He then met senior defence officials in the air base and changed into the G-suit that was required on the Sukhoi. The G-Suit is an anti-gravitational suit that helps in proper blood circulation when the aircraft flies at supersonic speeds. Wing Commander Rathore took the jet to about 7.5 km above ground level and flew at 1.25 Mach (one-and-a-quarter times the speed of sound).

The Wing Commander took Dr. Kalam on a full fledged experience by stalling the plane mid-air, and by making twists and turns in the sky. When told to comment on what he saw from above, he jokingly said, “The sky was looking blue everywhere. The plane was travelling at a great speed. During the twists and turns I too had to help out in operating the flight, so the only thing I remembered in mid-air was that the colour of the sky was blue.”

The Wing Commander also showed how the planes spot and shoot enemy targets both in the air and on the ground. Dr. Kalam set the record for the oldest person to co-pilot such a plane and he was 74 years old, when he performed this feat.

Picture Credit : Google

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, during his term as the President of India, indulged in adventures which many of his age would not have dreamt of. His love for adventure kept inspiring all, including our soldiers.

One of his adventures was to visit the Siachen Glacier in 2004, where he witnessed the difficult conditions faced by the Indian army. Dr. Kalam’s presence left a deep impact on the soldiers and officers.

The troops and officers were amazed by his presence at Siachen because no president had ever visited the glacier, and that, too, at the age of 72. He lauded them for their commitment towards the country and their earnest service in hostile and harsh weather. Similarly, he had also visited the LoC in Uri in 2003 and had a similar experience with the soldiers of India.

Picture Credit : Google

Children had great love for Dr. Kalam. He is still the role model for several people who grew up during the time of the “Missile Man of India”, a small boy from Rameshwaram, who made history. Hundreds of students were present at his swearing ceremony to celebrate his success.

Dr. Kalam also had a great deal of love for children. He believed that the future of India lies within the dreams of the children. As the head of the country, he addressed children and youth from all over the country.

Dr. Kalam, till his last breath, was driven by the passion to educate, motivate and guide children towards a better future.

He was also a man of sharp wit and intelligence. Amazed by his love for children, he was once questioned by media persons about having a child of his own, to which he replied “All of you are wrong, I have three sons.” All were stumped by the statement, but Dr. Kalam continued. “You don’t know my three sons? They are ‘Prithvi’, ‘Agni’, and ‘BrahMos’,” referring to the names of India’s three powerful missiles.

One could see his passion and drive towards science and development in all that he did. What one leaves for the next generation needn’t be only progeny but intellectual growth as well.

Picture Credit : Google

Dr. Kalam was declared the 11th President of India on 18th July, 2002. He had won the presidential election held on 15th July 2002 with an electoral vote of 922,884. His nearest rival Lakshmi Sahgal won 107,366 votes.

After his massive victory, Dr. Kalam was sworn in as the president on 25th July. He was the third President of India to have been honoured with a Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, before becoming the president. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan (1954) and Zakir Hussain (1963) were his two predecessors who had become president after receiving the Bharat Ratna.

Dr. Kalam was the first scientist and the first bachelor to occupy the Rashtrapati Bhawan. He was referred to as the people’s president with love, as he had done countless deeds for the welfare of the people and the country.

 

He was brave and courageous enough to prioritise progress and took some decisions which were sometimes controversial. One of them was his so-called ‘inaction’ in deciding the fate of 20 out of the 21 mercy petitions submitted to him during his tenure. President’s rule in Bihar in 2005 during his tenure was also controversial. Despite all this however, he received immense recognition due to his stance and his works.

Picture Credit : Google

One of Dr. Kalam’s remarkable achievements was the establishment of the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), a DRDO laboratory in Hyderabad, Telangana, in 1988. This was set up with generous government funding to build a centre for the future, which is geared for work in advanced missile technologies.

The ambience of the state-of-the-art facilities and the level of comfort provided to the workers are only matched by a few research and development facilities other than RCI.

Dr. Kalam’s interest in the environment ensured that the Centre was set up in beautiful premises in the midst of a rocky wasteland. Apart from the state-of-the art facilities, it also has a small orchard and a farm that meets the food requirements of those who stay in the RCI quarters.

RCI is located in an area called Vignyana Kancha, which was given by the government of undivided Andhra Pradesh. The foundation stone for the project was laid by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on 5th August 1985, and it was inaugurated by the former President of India, R. Venkataraman, on 27th August 1988.

Research Centre Imarat is a global pioneer in developing avionics and navigation systems for missiles. It is the leading laboratory that has spearheaded the Indo-Israel joint development of Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) programme and had a hat-trick success in its first three consecutive missions.

Picture Credit : Google

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam derived immense satisfaction from saving lives through the development of the famed ‘Kalam-Raju stent’ for coronary heart disease. Kalam collaborated with the renowned cardiologist Dr. B. Soma Raju of Care Foundation and his colleagues to design the ‘K-R stent’ in the 1990s. These stents were developed to bring down the cost and make them affordable to the common man. They were made in India and introduced in the market in 1994. Cardiologists use these coronary stents to dilate constricted arteries while treating heart attacks.

Dr. B. Soma Raju was associated with Kalam since 1985. He used to say that Dr. Kalam was the “guiding soul” for the project. For this effort, the Care Foundation received the Defence Technology Spin-off Award in 1998, and, ‘Kalam - Raju stent’ went on to gain widespread acclaim.

Dr. Kalam along with Dr. B. Soma Raju also introduced the concept of a tablet PC for health care workers at primary health centres in rural areas.

While the Kalam-Raju stent took the centre stage for its affordability, the Kalam-Raju tablet was designed and aimed at arming healthcare personnel at the primary level like doctors, Anganwadi workers, ayahs and first responders to deal with an emergency. The tablet was capable of performing a number of medical processes at the rural level.

Picture Credit : Google

Dr. Kalam served as the first Principal Scientific Advisor or PSA from November 1999 to November 2001. The post of PSA is equal to that of a Secretary in any ministry. Dr. Kalam developed numerous policies, strategies and missions for many development applications while serving as PSA.

The position of PSA was created with a Cabinet rank in 1999 by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. However, in 2018, the Union Ministry decided that the scientific advisor would have a position equal to a Secretary, with tenure of three years. It is the job of the PSA to advise the prime minister and the cabinet on matters related to science and technology, and how they can affect economic and social structures.

The office of the PSA also helps various ministries, institutions and the industry to cooperate and work together in matters related to science and technology, through the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC).

Dr. Kalam had served as the Scientific Adviser to the defence minister from 1992-99 before being appointed as the PSA in 1999.

Picture Credit : Google

India’s attempt to conduct a second nuclear test was revived in 1998, during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s second term as prime minister. On April 8, approval for the tests was given by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) chief R Chidambaram and DRDO chief Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. The entire operation was controlled by Vajpayee and his principal secretary Brajesh Mishra from the prime minister’s office. The operation was conducted in such high secrecy that nobody except the then home minister LK Advani knew about it. Even important persons such as the then defence minister, George Fernandes, were told about the tests on May 9 and the three service chiefs and the foreign secretary were informed over the next three days. On May 11, this information was shared by the Cabinet Committee on Security.

A team which included Dr. K Santhanam, Dr. Kalam, Chidambaram and few other nuclear scientists and engineers started arriving in Pokhran in May 1998. The entire operation was conducted in utmost secrecy. The tunnels were only dug at night, not to be seen by the U.S spy satellites. The scientists used army uniforms and camouflages to disguise themselves and dig the bomb shafts. To avoid suspicion, nuclear devices were also flown from different parts of the country.

On May 11, 1998, at around 3:45 PM, India tested three devices - a thermonuclear device (Shakti I), a fission device (Shakti II), and a sub-kiloton device (Shakti III).On May 13, India detonated two more sub-kiloton devices-Shakti IV and V.

Picture Credit : Google

The Department of Posts in India delivered mail using a drone for the first time in Gujarat's Kutch district. On May 27, Gurugram based TechEagle's VertiplaneX3 drone delivered a medical parcel from Habay village in Bhuj taluka to Ner village in Bhachau taluka, covering 46 kms in 25 minutes. The 100 km range VertiplaneX3 has a payload capacity of 3 kgs and a top speed of 120 km/hour. "It was the longest drone delivery in a single flight and that too in a harsh weather environment with a wind speed of more than 30 km/ hour," said Vikram Singh Meena, Founder-CEO, TechEagle. The project is aimed at enabling faster deliveries across the country, be it in urban cities or any rural village.

Picture Credit : Google 

Companion is a distraction-free smartphone that has the basic functions of a smartphone, but is stripped of everything that could distract you. It can be worn as a necklace, clipped to belt loops, or wherever preferred. Its small, minimalist design features an E-ink display that won't tempt users with notifications throughout the day. It has an earpiece and microphone for taking calls, a wide + ultra-wide camera lens with flash, and an air quality sensor. It has no ports, thus freeing up internal space and making the device more water resistant, and it is charged wirelessly. Companion is constructed from a bioplastic that is easily manufactured and disassembled for repair or dismantled at end-of-life. This helps create a closed loop system where plastic is recycled many times over without ending up in a landfill. The texture of the bioplastic mimics the slightly rough feel of pebbles, while the device curves at all angles mimicking the natural design of pebbles. The device's colours feature a speckle pattern on top of soft hues that resemble the colours and patterns of naturally-found pebbles.

Picture Credit : Google 

On July 1, we celebrate International Doctors Day. We are ever thankful for their service, and this month, we will look at some of the most bizarre medical cases that doctors encountered and diagnosed or treated successfully. Apples, move aside... these people really need doctors!

Never a worm this long!

Tapeworm infections aren't rare. However, a Chinese man had a tapeworm growing in his intestines for two years after he consumed uncooked meat. When he complained of stomach pain, doctors identified the culprit based on a fragment of the worm in his stools. It turned out that the worm had comfortably grown to a length of six metres (about the size of four humans)! It took an antibiotic to flush the monstrous worm out of his body.

Sudoku + Avalanche = Seizures

Love solving Sudoku puzzles? Good. Just don't overdo it like this guy from Germany. He was once trapped in an avalanche, and after 15 minutes without oxygen, he experienced muscle twitches. Weeks later, when he tried to solve Sudoku puzzles, he developed seizures. The doctors he consulted also observed that his seizures stopped immediately after he stopped trying to solve the puzzles. Brain scans and tests revealed that the culprit was an overstimulated brain triggered by external stimuli (in this case Sudoku). Having stopped solving them, the patient was free of seizures!

Beware of dares

People do silly things when their friends dare them to, as it happened with a guy who swigged nearly a litre of soy sauce! A dash of soy sauce makes chow mein and fried rice taste yummy, but drinking a whole lot of it is a different matter altogether. A litre of soy sauce can contain 150 grams of sodium (or 25 teaspoons of salt). A team of doctors used around six litres of sugar water and spent five hours bringing his sodium levels back to normal.

Generous to a pathological fault

A woman detected a strange change in her husband's personality. He started giving away money and bought candies to give to children on the street. Since he had never been that way before, and was about to give all his money away and become bankrupt, his wife wisely rushed him to the doctors. After analyzing his medical records, the doctors discovered something astounding - a stroke he had suffered recently had disturbed his brain activity and caused a condition of persistent and excessive generosity!

When food deceives you....

Sure, food has a way with us. Who doesn't feel dizzy with joy seeing a plate of hot biryani or the cheesy goodness of a pizza? For a woman it took a twisted turn indeed. She suffered from delusions occasionally. Doctors discovered that she also experienced weight loss and other health issues that appeared to indicate Celiac disease that affects the intestines. It turned out that gluten food was the culprit! When she stopped eating gluten food, her delusions vanished.

The Red Sea emergency

Who would have thought that a swim in the Red Sea could turn out to be problematic? A tourist collided with a school of fish while swimming and thought nothing of it, until he developed a droopy eyelid soon afterwards. Doctors who operated on him removed tube-like structures from his eye and were mystified. On checking with a biologist, it turned out that they were the jawbones of a halfbeak fish (from the aforementioned school of fish that the man collided with in the sea).

Picture Credit: Google 

A new girl joined our class this year. I don't know what it is about her but everybody likes her. Even my friends are always with her. She "plays politics" with me and I can't stand her, because of her my friends have left me alone. How can I get my friends back and tell them that she isn't a nice person?

Looks like the new girl in your class is making you feel quite insecure and you 'can't stand her'. This new girl is quite popular, and everyone is attracted to her, including your friends. Seems like you feel helpless that you can do nothing about it.

It is not that a person is a nice person' or 'not a nice person'. You think that she is not nice, but your friends think she is. So, reflect on what makes you say that she 'isn't a nice person'? Note down any evidence that you ) have for each reason. Have you interacted with her enough to get to know these things? What does she do when she "plays politics" with you? Have others also =noticed the same things? If not, your friends will see that you feel jealous.

Instead of focusing on putting her down, focus on what makes you feel insecure and develop yourself in those areas. If you want your friends back, pay attention to your relationship with them and the fun you can have together. Your friends will not be happy around you if your attention is on her in a negative way.

How about going a step further and making friends with the new girl? Discover whether you find her truly nice or not. Perhaps it is not about competing with her, but all of you finding things in common and being friends. Might be more fun...

Picture Credit : Google 

My best friend of the past five years has a crush on me. I am not interested in him this way and I don't have feelings for him. My priorities are my studies and family. I don't know what to do. I don't want to break my friendship with him.

You are dismayed to learn that your best friend has a crush on you for you are worried that this could mean the end of your friendship.

So, if you haven't already done so, ask for time with your friend and speak frankly with him. Gently but firmly state that you don't reciprocate his feelings. Ask him what he would like to do. He may want to remain friends but want time off from the friendship to work through his feelings. Or he may want to end the friendship. Either way, respect his choice. And if you feel you want to end the friendship, then discuss that with your friend. He would need to respect your decision too.

Unfortunately, with his feelings for you and your relationship has already changed, and even if you don't want to break the friendship, you need to be prepared that it may happen. This will depend on the choices you both make.

Picture Credit : Google 

I'm a 15-year-old boy. My problem is that I get aggressive and often short-tempered with others. I even show my anger in front of my parents. I can't share my problems with anyone; my best friends don't listen to me and one of them is not talking to me. I'm unable to concentrate on my studies due to this. Please help me out.

Looks like you're feeling helpless at being unable to do anything about your anger and its consequences.

First, understand your anger: Find the real feeling underneath the anger. E.g., if you can't share your problems with anyone; if your best friends don't listen to you; when a friend doesn't talk to you...how do each of these make you feel? You get angry when you yourself don't know what you are really feeling. When you're angry, you may end up taking your anger out on  someone/something else, making things worse. You can look up the 'Anger Iceberg' worksheet online and use it to understand your anger. Observe and list the warning signs that you're showing. For example, do you tend to tremble? Does your mind go blank? Do you breathe heavily? Note these down

Manage your anger: Use the S.T.O.P. technique. When you know you're getting angry, first Stop doing anything and just wait. Then Think about what is making you angry and label the feeling, e.g. I feel.... Then think about the Options you have to calm yourself instead of showing your anger. Maybe you could go for a walk, listen to calming music, breathe slowly... Finally, Proceed to do what you need to do next, e.g. you can go ahead and express your feelings.

You can ask yourself: How can I express myself in a way that will truly express my need instead of simply reacting to the person in front of me. Over time, you will learn to find what really bothers you and manage it well.

Picture Credit : Google