aditya kumar's weblog

…and a few words about this too. After a long time sticking to one of the best themes I had ever used, I have decided to give an image makeover to my blog. So, after a new theme and a new wordpress installation later, this is how it looks (RSS/Google reader subscribers should come and have a look at the website, please!).

As always, while choosing the theme, readability was on top of my priorities. Also, the header image is customizable — which means, as before, I will be using my own pictures for the header image (including the present one that you see right now, this was taken in the western ghats, from a train!).

Please let me know what you think of this!

An essay I wrote about a conversation I had, 10 years ago one night in Pune and the connection it has with my trip to USA that happened last year, has been published by Tehelka Magazine in their latest issue (Jan 22, 2011). This is perhaps my first intended publication in mainstream media and I am glad that it happened. Here is the link to it, valid for at least a week, on tehelka’s website.

I would have called it “Scales of success”.

Many thanks to those who have made this possible. They know who they are.

Soon, I’ll be posting the original, unabridged essay on my website.

Today, in Bangalore, Tejas is set to join the Indian Air Force in it’s own first squadron. This may appear a “typical” defence news story to many of us, but it is a very significant milestone for a project that was first conceived in 1983. An aircraft, from it’s first prototype till the time it gets inducted into the armed forces, has to pass through rigorous tests to confirm that it can withstand extreme conditions should there be a need for such operations during war. For example, here is a news story when LCA had to pass the flying tests after taking off from Leh. They froze the aircraft overnight in sub-zero temperature to test how it flies the subsequent morning.

Also, the whole project had come to a virtual standstill at least on two occasions — The failure of India’s ambitious aircraft engine program, “Kaveri” and a little before that, the sanctions imposed by the US Government after the Pokhran blasts. Much has been said about this project and many have termed it as a failure primarily because of cost overruns — but the truth is that despite the cost overruns, LCA is still a cheaper and at-par alternative with the best of it’s class in the world.

Moreover, the faith an airborne Tejas will instill in scientists and technicians for aiming higher, despite everything, is a priceless thing to achieve.

Anyway. Back in 2005, when I was a frequent visitor to the India Coffee House at MG Road, in Bangalore, I came across an elderly gentleman who used to work with the HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited). He was closely associated with the LCA program (later, known as ‘Tejas’). Over my next few visits, I had many conversations with Mr Vasudevan at the coffee house. Those were random meetings as we were both regular visitors to the place.

This post below was published on my old blog, in 2005 (pardon the quality of prose). I believe this is a significant day for many people who have been closely associated with the LCA project. I am not in touch with Mr. Vasudevan anymore but I am sure he is one happy, content man today.

In the Coffee House, with Mr. Vasudevan

The coffee house, as I expected was half full. With old furniture, its wooden benches and tabletops which had developed cracks of all lengths and depths, just like the wrinkles which were as common in almost every attendant, spelled the longevity of time this coffee house had witnessed.

As I said, the coffee house was half full, but no where was a complete empty table in sight. Next to its glass window, I chose to sit, on a table whose lone occupant was an elderly gentleman completely immersed in his reading. By the time I satisfied my hunger I thought of striking a conversation with the gentleman, who at that time, could be my only company.

As it was revealed, Mr Vasudevan, was a retired Aviation Quality Inspector. I knew his white hair suggested wisdom, but possession of wisdom of the aviation kind was not only a surprise but a pleasing one too. I could smell the prospects of an exciting conversation right there.

The mention of India’s latest indigenous combat aircraft, LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) struck the right chord. Excitement is inevitable, once LCA is mentioned to any Indian Aviation Enthusiast.

“I retired in 1992. When the LCA entered advanced stage of development in 1995, they needed people with experience. As it so happened, I was re-called and was a part of the LCA team. I was one of the four quality Inspectors. I was a part of the team when LCA took its first flight in 2001. I worked till 2003. Eight more years”, he said with a hint of excitement in his voice.

And what did he have to say about the first flight?

“Everyone was nervous. Our creation was touching the sky for the first time. During those moments, I went to a corner of viewing area, alone. I was too nervous. There are so many things that can go wrong in the first flight. My responsibility was to ensure the safety of the pilot. I was the quality inspector for Seat Safety/Ejection. But the take off went fine and people rejoiced. Obviously, I could not afford that joy.”

And why so? If the take-off was fine, why was he more nervous when the bird was in the air? I knew what he was coming to but I wanted him to say it himself. And so he did.

“Landing!!” he exclaimed with a new burst of excitement. “How can you miss that my friend! Touchdown is the most important aspect of the whole flight! That is when most things can mess up. Things can go haywire.”

“I remember”, he continued, “It was an 18 minute flight. The longest 18 minutes of my life. The machine we built was up there, and so was my heart.”

And how was touchdown?

“I cried. People came and shook hands and I had to hide my emotions. There were sweets distributed, accolades given. And after that, I tested 137 flights of LCA. In my career, I gave the quality thumbs-up for 138 of LCA flights. Nothing can match that.”

And on the current trends of aviation which are embedded in the LCA?

“1.6 Mach, I think should be the top speed of LCA. You have to understand, in our Air-Force, LCA has to play the role of a major force in Air-to-Air combat. Air-to-Air combat doesn’t go beyond 1.6 Mach. We have to suite those requirements. Plus the microprocessor handling of LCA is such that it lets the pilot concentrate on what he should- Combat”.

And on the wing-design? I remarked, that I had noticed LCA’s wings are the Delta-designed ones, similar to Mirage-2000.

“Ah, yes. They are critical to achieve a high lift for supersonic flights. Talking about wings, do you know how many flaps per second does a housefly make? 200. Imagine. And a dragon-fly? 600. These are god created miracles that most of us oversee in everyday life. The cobra manoeuvre that we talk so highly about in Sukhoi aircrafts, is performed by the housefly all the time. These facts inspire me.”

Here was someone, in his late 60’s or early seventies, who had dedicated his life to Aviation. And where did his inspiration came from? Houseflies and mosquitoes.

“I have the knowledge to tell you the most technical aspects of flight without quoting scientific principles. I was only a quality inspector, but I played a part in this achievement.”

“I like cricket, I like car-racing and I like books. But at my time I could not afford it simply because I did not have the time. Sometimes I regret this fact. But soon I am overwhelmed to realise that I have been one of the privileged few who have been able to realise the kind of dreams like I had.”

So true, Mr. Vasudevan. Ask those who couldn’t.

No, I am not going to Goa by road. Well, actually, we did that last month. But this is not a travel post (I don’t do much travel writing these days because, well, I hardly travel as much as I’d like to).

For those who random googlers who frequently hit my blog seeking the route from Bangalore to Goa. Just a short note to post one of the conclusions of our road travel to Goa last month: Take the NH-4 (Pune-Bangalore Highway) till Hubli. Then after you have hit Hubli, take the NH-63 till Karwar. From Karwar, take the scenic and beautiful NH-17, north till you hit Goa! Best way to reach Goa from Bangalore!

I sometimes wonder what makes the leadership of our country adopt double standards.

Because when we are dealing with China, we always blow the trumpet of democracy. When our leaders stand at the world podium, we call ourselves the slow but stable democratic republic that will reach “there”. We even (rightly) send our ambassador to the Noble prize ceremony applauding Liu Xiaobo while China threatened us of consequences.

On the other hand, we have this man been given the red carpet in New Delhi. It is stale news but that is not the point. If you did not bother to click on the link I gave you a couple of sentences ago, you should know that, that link points to a list of the world’s worst dictators. He is called Than Shwe and he is the man responsible for everything wrong that has happened in Burma. A few months ago, he visited the Taj Mahal and got a picture clicked (Interested? here, that’s another world’s worst dictators countdown list, by the way).

The same man was also responsible for house arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi. She, until recently, was in house arrest, for 24 years.

24 years.

The lady won the Nobel Peace prize, just like Liu Xiaobo, for her pro-democracy movement in Burma. In fact, she also won the Jawahar Lal Nehru Award back in 1992, an year after she won the Nobel. Then, ideologically, the Government of India should snap ties with any country that treats pro-democracy leaders like this, let alone spread the red carpet.

Exactly the opposite happened. Why?

Gas, most probably.

India is eyeing the vast Gas reserves Burma has and thus this stand. But hasn’t a country that once stood for principles and what was right has deviated because of interests of world power and economy? The same is happening with the Tibet policy (I am not even sure if one exists). Ultimately, issues like these have become ace cards and bargaining chips. It is this attitude that made President Obama make the startling statement of “India has shied away from Human rights abuses in Myanmar”.

These are no signs of a matured democracy. In fact, far from it.

I am tempted to quote Shashi Tharoor here. The man who was ridiculed for his short stay in the Indian Cabinet has a keen eye as far as India’s foreign policy is concerned. While criticizing India’s stand on Myanmar and The Lady, he said: India opted for national interests over democracy. It was a policy of the head ruling over the heart but it also lost its soul.

It’s a very strong statement from a man who understands the nature of Democracy too well. And it is a sad state of affairs as far as India’s foreign policy is concerned.

PS: Suggested reading-

1. From Sri Lanka, this article: here
2. The Shashi Tharoor article here.

I, and with me this blog, have been experiencing a blogging slowdown of sorts. Lots of things going on, so many things to write about (including justified anger directed to my employer and an impending Java exam) but all that will have to wait because I have been invariably spending a good part of the day in BMTC volvos coming and going to office.

You should read this piece at tehelka, a perspective on the now infamous Nira Radia tapes. Another article on the same website, some comprehensive research and we have the life and times of Nira Radia, the lady herself, here. I doubt if I have ever heard of any other woman who has (had?) “so much fire in her belly”, as the author put it. If I had known the lady, I would have given her only one advice — slow down, baby.

Oh well, I am experiencing that first hand right now.

Enough stuff to ponder upon, so read up those links and you would be left thinking, just like me.

It’s probably one of the longest breaks I have taken from my blog (and blogosphere) but I guess shifting your life from one continent to another can take its toll. So while I won’t be able to roam the streets of New York on free weekends anymore, I am back to India with a few regrets in my heart of my only foreign trip:

1. Could not visit Washington D.C
2. Could not visit California.
3. Not even Philadelphia.

But on the bright side, the city I had heard the most about in life, I was able to visit the most. So I made a little dedication to New York City on youtube. This is a collection of pictures I took in my various visits to the city over a period of 6 months. Of course, the one picture in which I appear is not taken by me. These are from the Subway, Manhattan and Booklyn. I am sure I have missed some great secrets of NYC but at least I didn’t miss the most of it:

In New York

I have shamelessly used Alicia Keys song in the background but that was because I could not find any other song that could fit in so seamlessly.

If you like this, please leave comments. If you do not, please leave comments.