CITATION

or Social and Economic Development in India, 2008.

Yashwantrao Chavan National Award for National Integration, Democratic Values,

However, the age of modern space exploration can be said to have begun with the launching of “Sputnik” by the U.S.S.R. on 4^th October 1957. This extra-ordinary feat of scientific and technological prowess by U.S.S.R. stunned the world and led to a decision by the then President of the United States of America, John F. Kennedy to put a man on the moon within the decade of sixties

Out of this fascination, scientists have discovered the laws of motion of the heavenly bodies and technologists have developed grand instruments for conquest of space. Rocket science is an off-shoot of this irresistible desire ‘to go where no man has gone before’. There are references to Agni Astra in Vedic hymns and rockets are frequently mentioned in Indian military annals of 16^th to 18^th century. After the defeat of Tipu Sultan in the battle of Srirangapattana in 1799, the British collected hundreds of these rockets and sent them to England for reverse engineering. Improved versions of these rockets were used in the American war of Independence, leading to the phrase ‘rocket’s red glare’ incorporated in the U.S. National Anthem - ‘the Star Spangled Banner’. It is an instance of technological transfer from the East to the West.

The effulgent traversing the sky daily from morning till evening, the star-studded sky at night with the waxing and waning orb light, the steady formations of constellations, the sudden appearances of comets, the thundering clouds, the dazzling lighting, the lashing rains and the multi-coloured splendour of rainbows have fascinated man since time immemorial. Myriad myths have evolved around these heavenly phenomena. Poets and philosophers alike have delved into their beauty and mystery. As Shakespeare said in ‘Hamlet’ “there are more things in heaven and on earth than are dreamt in philosophy.”