24th Prof Brahm Prakash Memorial Lecture at IISc

This was a lecture arranged at the faculty hall of IISc and attended by a large audience. I was 5 years old in 1947 when Prof Brahm Praksh obtained his Doctorate in Metallurgy from the prestigious MIT in USA. At IISc he was the first Indian to head the Department of Metallurgy.

I had arrived well in time at the faculty hall to join quite a few who were already there. I was very glad to meet my old friend Dr. Murali Madhava who had returned from USA in 2006. We both sat together for the memorial lecture.

It was a great lecture worthy of the occasion by Dr. Baldev Raj Distingushed Scientist & Director, Indiragandhi Center for Atomic Research, Kalpakam. Beautifully printed full length paper along with a CD giving the power point presentation was distributed at the end of the lecture. The lecture on the whole was really a Success Story of the Indian S&T Fast Breeder Reactors! Lot of ground has been covered in FBR and remains to be covered, under Dr. Baldev Raj's Stewardship. One of the inevitable Queries came forth in the question and answer session which was "The control of the power genie which is being invoked to safe guard our planet against"

In the USA after long Mile Island mishap Nuclear energy option has been discarded. The Chernobyl accident was a near meltdown, the effects of which would be beyond comprehension.

After the lecture we shifted to the other hall for Tea. I could meet some more lost friends and had a good time in past recollections. I some how was missing Dr. Murali Madhava whom I was not able to locate. Finally I did find him talking to one of the Metallurgy Professors. I joined them. Murali had mentioned earlier about his not able to gauge his day’s progress in his technical Endeavour day after day, after coming to India, where as his daily contribution was so much more in the USA. The point being made by Murali to the IISc Prof was some thing like his offer of Free Technical consultancy is being utilized. He went at great lengths to convince me what kind of a loosing battle it was. I could not overcome my temptation to put across a lighter vein suggestion to Dr. Murali that he should charge for his consultancy.

Now at the time of writing I went through the CD of the presentation. The first slide Talks about Energy as the Key to development. India with per capita 660 KWH is the least developed. Is it a fallacy to say this really? USA is developed because it has developed the per capita 12000 KWH’s energy not vice versa. Is it that energy comes first before development? I am afraid there is some thing wrong some where!

Now mankind is dreaming of the possibility of traveling faster than light, by shrinking space and I think why not? (TOI report I am not able to lay my hands right now)

I appreciate the present trend of meeting the challenges being extended to the limits for ever. How about simple living and high thinking?