The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Be inquisitive, students told

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Be inquisitive, students told

Staff Reporter

NAL Adviser speaks at a seminar on ‘Advances in Aeronautics’

Bangalore: “If you want to be a good scientist, don’t believe others. Whatever you start, there will be people giving reasons on how and why it will not work. Penicillin, the light bulb and the aeroplane; all are the results of endeavour of scientists who kept on trying despite repeated failures and naysayers,” J.J. Isaac, Adviser - Propulsion and Wind Energy, National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), has said.

Dr. Isaac was speaking at a seminar on “Advances in Aeronautics” organised by Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering (DSCE) for the first batch of aeronautical engineering students here on Friday.

Through a slideshow, Dr. Isaac illustrated how the technology used in aeroplanes was inspired by the flight of birds. He told students to observe nature keenly and take inspiration from it. “Ask nature the right question and it will answer,” he said.

He asked the students to be inquisitive. “Why is there a hole in the vada? Why is a bubble spherical in shape and not cubical?” Asserting that there is a reason for everything, he said: “You have to keep an open mind and ask how and why.”

Dr. Isaac eulogised the strides made in the field of aeronautics in India. “We are right at the forefront of technology development,” he proudly said. He emphasised in his address that students had to have thorough fundamental and practical knowledge to be employable. Speaking to The Hindu, he acknowledged the shortage of skilled manpower in research and development in India. However, he added, “Indian students are very intelligent, second to none. They need proper exposure and to work under the guidance of scientists.”

Speaking about the potential India has, given that students are properly mentored, he said, “Our population is our wealth. We are sitting on a gold mine.”

G.R. Srinivasa, professor, Aeronautics, DSCE, said that the college had organised the seminar to inspire and motivate its first batch of B.E. Aeronautical Engineering students.

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