The success of Chandrayan & Mangalyan have underlined Indias huge potential in space science. Space science infact isn’t exactly a rocket science.

In our childhood days, we all must have thrown stones in puddles of water or in the flooded ditch or in a pond and enjoyed seeing the water splash out. Elders – especially space scientists play it differently. They make the spent parts of a rocket to fall precisely into a deep crater on moon at a great speed. If there is water on moon, it has to be in the frozen form deep inside the craters. When the hot metal falls at great speed inside the crater and if it hits the ice bed, a huge splash will occur- so high that it will be visible outside the crater and the sun’s rays falling on the momentary splash will trigger a rainbow of colours which can be detected by scientists sitting on earth. This is an example. In fact the basic principle behind everything in launching rockets or missiles isn’t actually rocket science.

Chandipur-on-Sea in Balasore  is ISRO’s missile centre in India. Balasore is situated 3 hours from Bubhaneshwar on the way to Kolkatta. Chandipur has a good beach  and houses many R&D and testing centres for DRDO. The place was chosen as during low tides, one gets a large, large swathe of level sea bed for safe testing of missiles and armaments. Chandipur is the home to every Agni, Prtihvi & Trishul launch.

Whenever missiles are launched, entire villages are vacated–humans, cattle etc,. I heard that the villagers are paid allowances based on head count and cattle count during the launch period ( nothing to do with the “cattle Class” comment of Shashi Tharoor). The missiles are actually launched from launch pad in an island at Dhamra. Dhamra is 1 hour from Balasore.

From Dhamra Jetty, you need to board a boat identified by defence ministry to take you to the island. It is a half an hour journey in the shallow seas with birds following the boat for fishes churned out behind the boat. The island is  densely wooded and completely under defence control-mobiles are not allowed. Apart from a few launch stations, work shops for repair and maintenance the island has lots of Guest Houses and hostels. The island is deserted at all times- except during launches . Whenever a missile is to be launched, the island teems with over 400 personnel- drafted from Delhi, Hyderabad, Banglore etc.

I had to spend a 4 day period on the island during the no launch period. The clients were at Balasore. No mobiles allowed means, no disturbance from my twin bosses (office & home). Not much of work to do. I was the lone occupant in all the guest houses put together. Spent time sitting on the bench below the trees and facing the beach. Endlessly watched the waves and birds. Leisurely flipped through the paperbacks I had taken with me- sipping an endless supply of cool fresh lime and fried snacks from the guest house. The guest house cook was eager to cook food of my choices it was a welcome break to him. This is the most dreamt of & idyllic way to holiday for any bookworm. I was getting paid for as I was “ on official duty”. 

The islands shores are nesting grounds for the famed Olive Ridley turtles. They turn up in huge numbers (half a million in Orissa coast ) during the mating season (October-Dec).

There is nothing special in the food fare in this part of Odisha, except for one location for excellent paani puris. Being close to West Bengal, every small sweet stall makes fresh rosagullas daily. It is better to avoid seeing what goes on behind the shelves  in the making of a rosagulla, as you might end up disliking the sweet, one otherwise cannot help loving.

I haven’t been to the Chandipur beach actually – in spite of numerous visits to this place. It was my son – the elder Jai who spent his summer training (aerospace) here who introduced me to the beaches. Jai is a music enthusiast who took up engineering out of his obedience to his parents misconceived notions ( like many others) due to  societal forces. It’s a disease in South India –especially TN.

In summers it dawns at 4AM. Around 5 AM the sun and heat  are as good as 9AM in TN. Lightning during thunderstorms are extremely severe in this part of the country. So is poverty. India’s multi-crore, yet low cost space programmes must continue, despite this poverty for the benefit of mankind. ( Unquote: so that Jai gets placed).