Right leader and Cherish moments

“Let me tell you about my experience. In 1973 I became the project director of India's satellite launch vehicle program, commonly called the SLV-3. Our goal was to put India's "Rohini" satellite into orbit by 1980. I was given funds and human resources, but was told clearly that by 1980 we had to launch the satellite into space. Thousands of people worked together in scientific and technical teams towards that goal.

By 1979, I think the month was August we thought we were ready. As the project director, I went to the control center for the launch. At four minutes before the satellite launch, the computer began to go through the checklist of items that needed to be checked. One minute later, the computer program put the launch on hold; the display showed that some control components were not in order.

My experts I had four or five of them told me not to worry; they had done their calculations and there was enough reserve fuel. So I bypassed the computer, switched to manual mode and launched The Rocket. In the first stage, everything worked fine. In the second Stage, a problem developed. Instead of the satellite going into orbit, the whole rocket system plunged into the Bay of Bengal.  It was a big Failure. 

That day, the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization, Prof. Satish Dhawan, had called a press conference. The launch was at 7:00 am, journalists from around the world were present was at 7:45 am at ISRO's satellite launch range in Sriharikota [in Andhra Pradesh in southern India]. Prof. Dhawan, the leader of the organization, conducted the press conference himself. "We failed! But I have a very good trust in my team that next time we will be succeeding for sure". 

Prof. Dhawan took responsibility for the failure he said that the team had worked very hard, but that it needed more technological support. He assured the media that in another year, the team would definitely succeed. Now, I was the project director and it was my failure, but instead, he took responsibility for the failure as chairman of the Organization.

The next year, in July 1980, we tried again to launch the satellite and this time we succeeded. The whole nation was jubilant and cheering for the success of the launch. Again, there was a press conference Prof. Dhawan called me aside and told me now “You conduct the press conference today.”

Well, this sum up what Leadership is all about! Leadership is not just about 'leading' someone to achieve a task but it is about 'empowering' someone to achieve far Greater deeds. One needs no bigger support than a Leader like Prof. Satish Dhawan to achieve things that have never been achieved before. The 'Trust' that Prof. Dhawan had in his team and the willingness to take responsibility when they fail, is something everyone should look upto and learn in order to become a True Leader.

Dr. Abdul Kalam cherished this experience as one of the high moments in his journey. Right way never change the goal… Try to be a master… be a role model… And be a leader… There is lot of wants here!

Determination and Persistence

A tribute to Civil Engineer, this is a real life story of engineer John Roebling building the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, USA back in 1870. The bridge was completed in 1883, after 13 years.

In 1883, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical. It had never been done before.

Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. He thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. He just had to share the dream with someone else. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer that the bridge in fact could be built.

Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome. With great excitement and inspiration, the headiness of a wild challenge before them, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.

The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was also injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to talk or walk.

“We told those so”, “Crazy men and their crazy dreams”, “It’s foolish to chase wild visions.” Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be scrapped since Roebling were the only one who knew how the bridge could be built.

In spite of his handicap Washington was never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever. He tried to inspire and pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were too daunted by the task.

As he lay on his bed in his hospital room with the sunlight streaming through the windows. A gentle breeze blew the flimsy white curtains apart and he was able to see the sky and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment.

It seemed that there was a message for him not to give up. Suddenly an idea hit him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving this, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife.

He touched his wife’s arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way again. For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife’s arm, until the bridge was finally completed.

Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory as a tribute to the triumph of one man’s indomitable spirit and his determination not to be defeated by circumstances. It is also a tribute to the engineers and their teamwork and to their faith in a man who was considered mad by half the world. It stands too as a tangible monument to the love and devotion of his wife who for 13 long years patiently decoded the messages of her husband and told the engineers what to do.

Perhaps this is one of the best examples of a never-say-die attitude that overcomes a terrible physical handicap and achieves an impossible goal. Often when we face obstacles in our day-to-day life, our hurdles seem very small in comparison to what many others have to face. The Brooklyn Bridge shows us that dreams that seem impossible can be realized with determination and persistence, no matter what the odds are.