A year after his retirement as a distinguished scientist and director of the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), a systems laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), S. Anantha Narayanan suffered a paralytic stroke.
It was mid-2016, and as he was on the path to recovery, with intensive physiotherapy and medication, he found a way to keep himself engaged: write a book on eminent technologists for students.
“It was tough, but it helped me recover fast, and my physiotherapist suggested that I publish it,” explained Mr. Anantha Narayanan as to why he brought out the book, Ningalkkumakam Ivareppole (You can also be like them), which comprises the life sketches of Indian technologists, written for the benefit of the science-loving student community.
“I chose to write it in Malayalam as there weren’t many books on technologists with a Kerala connection available in Malayalam. I was told there weren’t many readers for such books, but that was because there weren’t many such books in the first place. It’s a vicious cycle,” he said.
At the rehab institute in Vellore, he learnt about Dr. Mary Varghese, the wheelchair-bound surgeon. But it surprised him that her college itself did not know about the illustrious alumnus from Cherai. “So, I wrote about her life, which inspired me too. In the process, I found my handwriting illegible due to stroke and slowly, I found my way to writing in computer,” Mr. Anantha Narayanan said. As he researched, he realised that Varghese Kurien of Amul was a mechanical engineer; M.S. Swaminathan was selected for IPS but did not join; Keltron’s K.P.P. Nambiar, his first paymaster, also suffered a stroke and was recommended for the Padma Bhushan by the Karnataka government, and M.G.K. Menon had a role in saving the Silent Valley.
And they are all in the book. There are chapters on Vikram Sarabhai, Arogyaswami J. Paulraj, V.K. Aatre, K.P.P. Nambiar, Varghese Kurien, Dr. M.S. Valyathan, Dr. Mary Varghese, E. Sreedharan, M.S. Swaminathan, M.G.K. Menon, C. Achutha Menon, and C. Subramanyam.
Written in simple Malayalam with a perspective, the book places these figures and their contributions in a larger scientific and social context. For instance, describing the contributions of G. Madhavan Nair to Indian space science, he said that the controversies surrounding him over his decisions as ISRO Chairman could not invalidate his solid accomplishments as a scientist.
Meanwhile, Mr. Anantha Narayanan, still to fully recover from the stroke, has already completed another book, titled Sasthraratnangalum Muttathe Mullakalum , which introduces to lay readers a more pan-Indian picture of popular scientists like Homi Bhabha and less-known ones like botanist Janaki Ammal. “I intend to bring it out as soon as possible,” he says.
