Indian Space Prowess In The Eyes Of An Arab Scholar

By the time I began to write this post, I came across a news that “Chandrayaan-1” entered into Lunar Space after a complex maneuver carried out on Tuesday 5AM. The orbiter is 384,000 KM away from earth and closer to moon by mere 1000 KM lunar orbit. There will be another significant maneuver on Saturday, Nov. 8 which will place the orbiter on 100 KM lunar orbit.

I was happy to go through an emailed paper clipping written by an Arab scholar Mr. Ahmed Ali, (GM of Al Watan Group of Companies, Qatar) published on Qatar Tribune newspaper.

While the writer’s positive outlook and frankness on Indian advancement in the field of technology is very appreciable, one has to note that the rapid development taken place during the past 25 years in Gulf countries like U.A.E., Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia & Muscat is astonishingly splendid. The vast reserves of black gold (oil) in Gulf states has proven to be a heavenly blessing on the people of this region. Due to this huge wealth, Arabs are able to lead a luxurious life, hire the best manpower from other countries and buy the best technologies available in the world. India has a great long history of its Vedic culture, its ancient institutions, its prowess in literature, languages, mathematics, medicine and science. Similarly, I believe the Gulf countries will eventually build a platform cohesive for such technological advancements.

I reproduce the paper clipping for a legible reading :

Indian Space Prowess by Ahmed Ali (GM – Al Watan Gr. of Newspapers, Qatar)

While Indians are making computer chips, Arabs have not gone beyond potato chips.

The exploratory mission of the Indian spaceship to the moon launched on Friday from an island in the Bay of Bengal grabbed my attention

The unprecedented space mission is a historical one in that it aims to send a probe that will go around the planet Earth to study deposits of minerals and other elements deep in the womb of our planet.

This mission reflects the terrific scientific capabilities Indians have acquired to be able to explore the space with their science.

While the Indians have proved their capabilities in manufacturing computer chips and CDs, the Arabs are still unable to produce anything beyond potato chips and Al-Falafel (an Arabic snack of pokoda kind made out of pulses).

Away from the great Arab success in producing Al-Falafel with the Egyptian flavour or with any other flavour, India seeks to enroll itself as a member of the space club through its scientific project. It intends to launch 60 space missions till 2013 aimed at exploring the moon.

What distinguishes the Indian space programme is that it is the cheapest in terms of expenses at the international leve. The Indian budget for the space programme is estimated to be $700 millions compared with US $16 billions.

In appreciation of this Indian achievement, I would like to congratulate all Indians and express my deep respect for them and for their country.

I would like to extend my sincere congratulation to the Indian community in our country, especially to those simple workers who gather in certain areas of Doha at the weekend.

The great Indian scientific achievements pulled off by the indigenous scientific capability should compel us the Arabs to take a critical look at our own poor track record in science and technology and ask ourselves this question: What have we done for our present and for the future? Is our scientific underdevelopment caused by our political regimes or is it the result of the weaknesses of our education system or the bankruptcy of Arab mentality?

While we have become specialists in fabricating conflicts among ourselves, creating disagreements and igniting seditions and divisions, other nations of the world are busy pulling off one scientific feat after another and one civilizational victory after the other.

We have to be frank with ourselves and look for the reasons that have put India in the forefront of scientific and technological march and made it a nuclear power while the Arab mentality has no identity.

What is the reason for the Indian achievements that have become a trademark of the scientific superiority and technological sophistication while the Al-Falafel that used to be the pride of the Arab heavy industries has become an industry that is managed by Asian labourers in all restaurants in the Gulf states.

What makes me feel sad is the bad and wrong impression we have entertained about anything that comes from India to our countries. We though that India has only drivers, kema food or sauce bottles whereas the fact is that a large number of prominent scientists, engineers, managers and thinkers spreading around the world have Indian identity. The Indians have taken a big step towards exploring the space with the launch of their moon mission. In recognition of its scientific achievements, we have to change the way we think of India and Indians and start dealing with them accordingly because they belong to a great nation that has carried its flag into the space.

After India succeeded in launching Chandrayaan, we have to treat simple Indian labourers with greater respect because they deserve that.

What makes us feel jealous is that while there is a stiff competition among several nations in our neighbourhood to explore the space, the Arabs have been specializing in the art of invading one another’s territory; while other nations are vying with one another in reaching out to the stars, Arabs are busy with poems and romance. The only thing we can do well in our lives is singing for the moon, or crying over our sad situation.

(The author is General Manager of Al Watan Group of Newspapers, Doha, Qatar).