The Hindu : 'Madurai scientist' floats tribute to Kalpana

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 14, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

'Madurai scientist' floats tribute to Kalpana

By S. Vijay Kumar

MADURAI FEB. 13. For this illiterate `scientist', the line dividing imagination and reality is very thin.

When the country mourned Kalpana Chawla, he did not want to light candles or stand in silence. Instead, O. Jayapandi (29) of Madurai paid a fitting tribute to the Indian-born NASA astronaut. He designed a remote-operated motorboat "Kalpana 2003" and dedicated it to an underprivileged school.

With a team of students — he calls them budding "young scientists" — the school dropout gathered tin sheets, motors, tubes and plastics from a scrap store and made the working model in 10 days.

Today, "Kaplana 2003" made its maiden sail in a slummy pond at Sellur, as a handful of bewildered spectators thundered applause in amusement. Mr. Jayapandi operated the remote which could guide the 18-kg motorboat in all directions. The design was in conformity with principles of buoyancy and fluid mechanics, though he hardly had any idea of them.

An avid maker of working models of automobiles, Mr. Jayapandi, known as `Madurai Vignani', works as a loadman in a city vegetable market. Though his life is an epigraph of poverty and illiteracy, a single-minded determination to emerge as a "scientist" never let him down. He has made hundreds of models with scrap, including an aircraft and porcelain and automatic pooja equipment.

With paltry earnings, he manages to save some money for his projects. His tiny workshop is located in a congested Sellur lane, where he works at night developing working models. His offer to make "scientists" of students has evoked good response. Nearly half-a-dozen schools came forward to send their students for training in his workshop every weekend.

"This is a wonderful experience since we get hands-on experience in practical applications of established theories. His raw explanation of concepts is nothing but a translation of these theories which he is not aware of," said J. Senthil Kumar of a local school.

His future plans include making a spy plane fitted with a surveillance camera for the police, a robot designed to handle and defuse explosives and the working model of a satellite launch station. "Given the materials, I am willing to make a remote-operated boat which can carry tourists in the Mariamman Teppakulam tank in Madurai," Mr. Jayapandi said.

Among his role models is the President of India, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who has appreciated his works.

"By 2004, I will ensure that every school has a young scientist, who will make a model. All these models would be displayed at an exhibition and I will invite Dr. Kalam to inaugurate it."

Already several schools in the State have come forward to help him in accomplishing this mission.

"All I need is a spacious workshop to accommodate students. I have sent a letter to the Chief Minister seeking assistance for purchasing welding and drilling machines," he said.

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