Address and Interaction With the School Students of Nilgris, Tamil Nadu
Ooty, Tamil Nadu : 24-02-2007
Nothing is Impossible
"Thinking provides knowledge"
I am indeed delighted to interact with the students from the schools of Nilgris. My Greetings to the teachers, students and distinguished guests.
My message
Dear Children, you are all in the mission of learning. What learning will give?
"When learning is purposeful, creativity blossoms.
When the creativity blossoms, thinking emanates.
When thinking emanates, knowledge is fully lit.
When knowledge is lit, the society is enriched."
Some time back, I inaugurated the National Energy Conservation Day organized by the Ministry of Power. As a part of national campaign on Energy Conservation, the Ministry had organized a school level painting competition amongst 3.5 lakh students of fourth and fifth class belonging to over 17,500 schools spread in different parts of the country. I saw the beautiful paintings of the winners of this competition. It was really a creative effort by many children and focused on how in home, energy can be saved by allowing natural light, use of solar power and wind power and also following certain best practices to conserve the energy.
Similarly in a programme called "Mapping the Neighborhood" initiated by the Department of Science and Technology at Almora district in Uttaranchal, children from 20 schools have been motivated to use mapping techniques to investigate and map basic socio-economic, environmental and ecological issues being faced by the neighborhood community. Armed with the scientific and technological tools such as Global Positioning System (GPS), Geographic Information System (GIS), Space Imagery incorporated in the hand held computers; the children are creating maps with the neighborhood details to improve their understanding of the immediate environment. These maps will enable further the technological community to find solutions for the regeneration of fast disappearing natural sources of water, improving road connectivity, finding better locations for electricity and water distribution points, reducing traffic congestion and improved systems of garbage collection. The schools in Nilgris can initiate such type of programme at Ooty in which children can participate for environmental upgradation and energy conservation. Since I am in the midst of young children, I would like to narrate to you how great scientists got shaped when they were young.
Teachers influence
In Albert Einstein life, we find that his interest in science started early, beginning with his encounter with magnetism, which he called "the first miracle". He was given a compass by his father and Einstein was endlessly fascinated by the fact that invisible forces could make object move. This experience made a lasting impression on him. His interest in compasses was reinforced when he found a caring mentor to hone his ideas. At the age of 12, he experienced second wonder in a little book given by his mentor Max Talmud with Euclidean plain Geometry which he called "Holy Geometry Book". Einstein called this his "second miracle". Here Einstein made contact with the realm of pure thought. Without expensive laboratories or equipment, he could explore universal truth, limited only by the power of human mind. Mathematics became an endless source of pleasure to Einstein especially if intriguing puzzle and mysteries were involved.
Visualizing pictures: Einstein's father was in an electro chemical business. Being in the midst of electro magnetic contraptions awakened an intuitive understanding of electricity and magnetism in Albert Einstein. It sharpens his ability to develop graphic, physical pictures that would describe the laws of nature with uncanny accuracy. This trait, the ability to see everything in terms of physical pictures, would mark one of Einstein's greatest characteristics as a physicist.
Freedom to Learn: Though born in Germany, Einstein moved to Zurich Polytechnic Institute in Switzerland. The entry into the polytechnic did not require a high school diploma, just a passing grade on its tough entrance examination was sufficient. Einstein failed in the entrance examination but he did exceptionally well in the Maths and Physics section. That impressed the Principal and he promised to take him during the following year without an entrance test. The message we get from this experience is about having a flexible system of admission. Also an ability to spot the aptitude of the student in a particular subject and nourishing the talents. In addition, Einstein enjoyed the liberal atmosphere of the Swiss school.
Simplicity in description: Unlike other scientists who often got lost in Mathematics, Einstein got in terms of simple physical picture - speeding trains, falling elevators, rockets and moving clocks. These pictures would unerringly guide him through the greatest ideas of the twentieth century. He wrote "All physical theories, their mathematical expression notwithstanding, ought to lend themselves to so simple a description that even a child could understand". This is a very important message for all physics researchers and physics teachers. Here the birth of famous simple, elegant and very powerful energy equation E=MC2, which decided war and peace system of the world. Now, I would like to discuss the indomitable spirit of Stephen Hawking.
Stephen Hawking : Man of Indomitable Spirit
Stephen Hawking joined the University College, Oxford with the intent of studying mathematics, but after his first year changed his concentration to physics. His physics tutor, Robert Berman, later said in the New York Times Magazine, "It was only necessary for him to know that something could be done, and he could do it without looking to see how other people did it. He didn't have very many books, and he didn't take notes. Of course, his mind was completely different from all of his contemporaries." He was popular with his fellow students, but his unimpressive study habits gave him a final examination score on the borderline between first and second class honors, making an oral examination necessary. Berman said of the oral examination, "And of course the examiners then were intelligent enough to realize they were talking to someone far cleverer than most of themselves."
After completing his B.A. at Oxford in 1962, he studied astronomy and decided to leave when he found that studying sunspots through an observatory didn't appeal to him and that he was more interested in theory than in observation. He left Oxford for Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he engaged in the study of theoretical astronomy and cosmology.
Almost as soon as he arrived at Cambridge, he was struck by the motor neuron disease which would cost him the loss of almost all neuromuscular control. During his first two years at Cambridge, he did not distinguish himself, but, after the disease had stabilized and with the help of his doctoral tutor, Dennis William Sciama, he returned to working on his Ph.D. Hawking later said that the real turning point was his 1965 marriage to Jane Wilde, a language student.
Hawking had earlier speculated that the singularity at the centre of a black hole could form a bridge to a "baby universe" into which the lost information could pass; such theories have been very popular in science fiction. But according to Hawking's new idea, presented at the 17th International Conference on General Relativity and Gravitation, on 21 July 2004 in Dublin, Ireland, black holes eventually transmit, in a garbled form, information about all matter they swallow. Stephen Hawking spoke in China and made the statement that humans might have already damaged the atmosphere and inadvertently reconnected the planet Earth with her dead neighbors.
When Hawking (then using a wheelchair and unable to dress himself) and his wife were first living together, they received no outside assistance other than from physics students who helped in exchange for extra attention with their work. As his condition worsened, Hawking needed a team of nurses to provide round-the-clock care. He also needed a wheelchair for mobility. Despite his disease, he describes himself as "lucky" - not only has the slow progress of his disease provided time to make influential discoveries, it has also afforded time to have, in his own words, "a very attractive family". During a visit to the research center CERN in Geneva in 1985, Hawking contracted pneumonia, which in his condition was life-threatening. It resulted in acute difficulty of breathing, which could only be overcome through a tracheostomy by which Stephen Hawking lost his natural speech ability. He has since used an electronic voice synthesizer to communicate. The voice synthesizer, which has an American accent, is of a model that is no longer being produced. Efforts are on to replace with a newer synthesizer.
The young minds assembled here should cultivate the indomitable spirit of Stephen Hawking in facing the challenges of life, defeating the problem and succeeding. Now, I would like to discuss about the characteristics which you should possess that "Nothing is Impossible".
Nothing is impossible?
Human flight is nothing but creativity of human mind and it undergoes several struggles to achieve excellence. In 1895, a great well-known scientist Lord Kelvin, who was the President of Royal Society of London said, "any thing heavier than air cannot fly, and cannot be flown." Within a decade, Wright Brothers proved man could fly of course at heavy risk and cost.
On the successful completion of Moon Mission in 1969, Von Braun, a very famous rocket designer, who built Saturn-V, to launch the capsule with astronauts and made moon walk a reality, in 1975 said "If I am authorized, I will remove the word impossible".
In ancient days, Ptolemaic astronomy is a widely used system in calculating the dynamics of various stars and planets. Assumption by then was that the earth is flat. What a scientific struggle had to take place to prove that the earth is spherical in shape orbiting around the sun. The three great astronomers Copernicus, Galileo and Kepler had to give a new dimension to the world of astronomy. Today we take it for granted that earth is a globe, orbiting around the sun, and the sun orbits in the Milky Way. All the technological advancements we have today are the outcome of scientific exploration of scientists of earlier centuries. At no time, man was beaten by problems. He strives continuously to subjugate impossibility and then succeeds.
According to the laws of aerodynamics the bumble bee should never be able to fly. Because of the size, weight, and shape of its body in relationship to the total wing span, flying is scientifically impossible. The bumble bee, being ignorant of scientific theory, goes ahead and flies anyway. I would like the youth assembled here to take a lesson from these examples and work to make everything possible.
Diverting Asteroids
Some time back one important event took place in space. That was the impact of the NASA spacecraft called deep impact smashing into the comet Tempel-I, with enough force to create football stadium sized crater with a depth of a 14 storey building. The spacecraft was navigated by an Indian Shyam Bhaskaran - the deep impact traveled 431 million kms in 172 days escaping from the earth orbit and intercepted the comet at a straight distance from earth at 134 million km. the comet was orbiting around the Sun every five and half years. This is a land mark in space exploration.
This event is important to divert asteroids which may hit the earth in future. One such large asteroid 1950 AD is expected to hit the earth on March 16, 2880 AD and nearly one third of the earth will be damaged. Like the "Deep Impact" one spacecraft is required to be sent with high energy material to divert or break the asteroid to move it out of the present orbit.
Conclusion
Now, I would like to administer a seven point oath to the students. Are you ready?
1. I realize, I have to set a goal in my life. To achieve the goal, I will acquire the knowledge, I will work hard, and when the problem occurs, I have to defeat the problem and succeed.
2. As a youth of my nation, I will work and work with courage to achieve success in all my tasks and enjoy the success of others.
3. I shall always keep myself, my home, my surroundings, neighbourhood and environment clean and tidy.
4. I realize righteousness in the heart leads to beauty in the character, beauty in the character brings harmony in the home, harmony in the home leads to order in the nation and order in the nation leads to peace in the world.
5. I will lead an honest life free from all corruption and will set an example for others including my home to adopt a righteous way of life.
6. I will light the lamp of knowledge in the nation and ensure that it remains lit for ever.
7. I realize, whatever work I do if I do the best, I am contributing towards realizing the vision of developed India 2020.
My best wishes to you all for success in your educational career.
May God bless you.
Question and Answer Session
1. "Science without spirituality is blind, Spirituality without science is lame? This is Albert Einstein?s remark. What is your remark about this ?
- Selvi J. Swapna, XI Std, Breeks Higher Secondary School, Ooty
Ans: Science and spirituality both aim at the discovery of truth. Science is required for promotion of material wealth, whereas spirituality is required for promotion of a peaceful, harmonious society. Both are required for promotion of a prosperous, happy and peaceful society.
2. It is commonly known that a large percentage of international researchers are Indians. What can be done to keep these research scholars back home ?
- Selvi Rashmi, IX Std, Good Shephered International School, Ooty
Ans: While they are working in the other country, they are also bringing the experience of their research through their umbilical connectivity in India. It is not necessary to bring them back home. If our other scientists and researchers can benefit through their association with these international researchers, I am sure the country will benefit substantially.
3. In your journey from Rameshwaram to Rashtrapati Bhavan, you would have come across many obstacles. What kept you strong in overcoming those obstacles ?
- Selvi S. Padmavathi, IX Std, Shanthi Vijaya (G) Higher Secondary School, Coonoor
Ans: When I was working in the space department, I remember the advice given by my Guru Prof Satish Dhawan. After appointing me as the project director for SLV-3, he provided the funds, manpower and the management structure. Along with this, he gave an advice which is reverberating in my mind even now. He said, "Kalam, if you don't do anything, you don't have any problem. If you do work on complex mission, you will certainly encounter number of challenges and problems. You should not allow problems to become your master. You should become the master of the problem, defeat the problem and succeed". This is the method by which we can overcome obstacles and succeed.