Visit to Bunglon High School, Bunglon, Manipur
Bunglon, Manipur : 16-10-2006
How to make impossible possible?
I am delighted to be here in Bunglon, I greet all the pioneers who have contributed in establishing and growing this Bunglon High School, which has educational facilities right from primary stage to higher education. During the last 30 years, this school has grown to maturity. I am glad one of the former students of this school, Mr. Kamla Zon, has secured a position in the civil service examination this year. The school has been able to produce over 200 matriculates since its recognition. My greetings to the Head Master�s, teachers and members of Managing committee of the Bunglon High School, students, parents and other distinguished guests participating in this function. When I am with you, I would like to talk about �How to make impossible possible?�
Nothing is impossible?
Human flight is nothing but creativity of human mind and it undergoes several struggles to achieve excellence. In 1895, a great well-known scientist Lord Kelvin, who was the President of Royal Society of London said, "any thing heavier than air cannot fly, and cannot be flown." Within a decade, Wright Brothers proved man could fly of course at heavy risk and cost.
On the successful completion of Moon Mission in 1969, Von Braun, a very famous rocket designer, who built Saturn-V, to launch the capsule with astronauts and made moon walk a reality, in 1975 said "If I am authorized, I will remove the word impossible".
In ancient days, Ptolemaic astronomy is a widely used system in calculating the dynamics of various stars and planets. Assumption by then was that the earth is flat. What a scientific struggle had to take place to prove that the earth is spherical in shape orbiting around the sun. The three great astronomers Copernicus, Galileo and Kepler had to give a new dimension to the world of astronomy. Today we take it for granted that earth is a globe, orbiting around the sun, and the sun orbits in the Milky Way. All the technological advancements we have today are the outcome of scientific exploration of scientists of earlier centuries. At no time, man was beaten by problems. He strives continuously to subjugate impossibility and then succeeds.
According to the laws of aerodynamics the bumble bee should never be able to fly. Because of the size, weight, and shape of its body in relationship to the total wing span, flying is scientifically impossible. The bumble bee, being ignorant of scientific theory, goes ahead and flies anyway. I would like the youth assembled here to take a lesson from these examples and work to make everything possible.
Diverting Asteroids
Recently one important event took place in space. That was the impact of the NASA spacecraft called deep impact smashing into the comet Tempel-I, with enough force to create football stadium sized crater with a depth of a 14 storey building. The spacecraft was navigated by an Indian Shyam Bhaskaran ? the deep impact traveled 431 million kms in 172 days escaping from the earth orbit and intercepted the comet at a straight distance from earth at 134 million km. the comet was orbiting around the Sun every five and half years. This is a land mark in space exploration.
This event is important to divert asteroids which may hit the earth in future. One such large asteroid 1950 AD is expected to hit the earth on March 16, 2880 AD and nearly one third of the earth will be damaged. Like the "Deep Impact" one spacecraft is required to be sent with high energy material to divert or break the asteroid to move it out of the present orbit.
Now let me talk about how to propagate the probing of scientific minds.
Propagate the probing of scientific minds
A. Towards Raman Effect:
Why is the sea blue? The view has been expressed that the dark blue of the deep sea has nothing to do with the color of water. It is simply the blue of the sky seen by reflection. Sir CV Raman then questions this view describing his own experiment on board the ship: Observations made in this way in the deeper waters of Mediterranean and Red sea showed that the color so far, from being impoverished by suppression of sky reflection was wonderfully improved here by. It was abundantly clear from the observation that the blue color of the deep sea is a distinct phenomenon itself and not merely an effect due to reflected sky light. Later Raman draws attention to the connection between the color of deep waters and the Einstein Smoluchowski formula. Naturally he starts with that the sky is blue because of scattering of light by the molecules in the upper atmosphere. The color of the sea is a different matter. Rayleigh believes it was all due to reflection, but Raman gives an entirely different view, that in this phenomenon, as in the parallel case of the color of sky, molecular diffraction determines the observed luminosity and in great measure also its color. Hence the birth of the Raman Effect.
Now let us study how great scientists in their school days got shaped for science. First let us take up the example of Albert Einstein.
B. Teachers influence
In Albert Einstein life, we find that his interest in science started early, beginning with his encounter with magnetism, which he called ?the first miracle?. He was given a compass by his father and Einstein was endlessly fascinated by the fact that invisible forces could make object move. This experience made a lasting impression on him. His interest in compasses was reinforced when he found a caring mentor to hone his ideas. At the age of 12, he experienced second wonder in a little book given by his mentor Max Talmud with Euclidean plain Geometry which he called ?Holy Geometry Book?. Einstein called this his ?second miracle?. Here Einstein made contact with the realm of pure thought. Without expensive laboratories or equipment, he could explore universal truth, limited only by the power of human mind. Mathematics became an endless source of pleasure to Einstein especially if intriguing puzzle and mysteries were involved.
Visualizing pictures: Einstein?s father was in an electro chemical business. Being in the midst of electro magnetic contraptions awakened an intuitive understanding of electricity and magnetism in Albert Einstein. It sharpens his ability to develop graphic, physical pictures that would describe the laws of nature with uncanny accuracy. This trait, the ability to see everything in terms of physical pictures, would mark one of Einstein?s great characteristics as a physicist.
Freedom to Learn : Though born in Germany, Einstein moved to Zurich Polytechnic Institute in Switzerland. The entry into the polytechnic did not require a high school diploma, just a passing grade on its tough entrance examination was sufficient. Einstein failed in the entrance examination but he did exceptionally well in the Maths and Physics section. That impressed the Principal and he promised to take him during the following year without an entrance test. The message we get from this experience is about having a flexible system of admission. Also an ability to spot the aptitude of the student in a particular subject and nourishing the talents. In addition, Einstein enjoyed the liberal atmosphere of the Swiss school.
Simplicity in description: Unlike lesser scientists who often got lost in Mathematics, Einstein got in terms of simple physical picture ? speeding trains, falling elevators, rockets and moving clocks. These pictures would unerringly guide him through the greatest ideas of the twentieth century. He wrote ?All physical theories, their mathematical expression notwithstanding, ought to lend themselves to so simple a description that even a child could understand?. This is a very important message for all physics researchers and physics teachers. Here the birth of famous simple, elegant and very powerful energy equation E=MC2, which decided war and peace system of the world.
In the profession of teaching, teachers are indeed playing the role of creating the creative minds. Sir CV Raman?s questioning why the sky is blue? - leading to Physics Nobel Prize, is indeed inspiring teaching material to the teachers. Similarly a message of spotting an outstanding talent in physics in spite of failing the school entrance, is another message comes how Swiss school spotted one of the greatest scientific minds in 20th century, Albert Einstein.
Conclusion
Education is not just teaching and learning lessons. It has to be concerned about building human values along with knowledge. The examples of the teachers cited above clearly show how they have influenced the entire life of individuals and enabled them to chart their future life. I am sure the teachers of Bunglon High School will be providing such guidance to the students of this school, which the students will remember for their entire life.
Now I would like to administer the Oath for courage. Are you ready?
Courage to think different,
Courage to invent,
Courage to discover the impossible,
Courage to combat the problems
And Succeed,
Are the unique qualities of the youth.
As a youth of my nation, I will work and work with courage to achieve success in all my missions.
Let me once again greet all the members of the Bunglon High School. My best wishes to all of you for success in your mission of promoting excellence in value based education.
May God bless you.
Question and Answer Session
1. How can we remove corruption and terrorism in our country?
- Miss Vahboi, 10th class
Ans: I have discussed this topic in detail in my address to the nation on the eve of the 60th Independence Day. You can refer to my website . As far as students are concerned their first job is to study well and excel in the subject of their choice. They should not enter into politics when they are pursuing education. The students should cultivate good habits. Parents and teachers must introduce the student to the intellectuals. The students should learn to respect all elders and develop a habit of being kind to every one. Sometimes someone may commit some mistakes. We should not be revengeful and we should have a large heart to forget and forgive. We should forget enmity and promote love and affection in society.
The corruption can be removed in our country only by three people namely father, mother and the elementary school teacher. Youth can always change their parents in case they find that they are deviating from the right path. Many of the youth I have met have agreed to follow this principle through the tool of love.
2. So far how many country did India make nuclear deal with? and why?
- Miss Chongboi, 8th class
Ans: We have a collaboration for establishing nuclear power plant with Russia. This is to speed up the power generation programme in our country.
3. Is there any provision from the Government to utilize resources of this area viz. pipeapple, banana and other natural resources as a useful means for the nation?
- Miss Thiemneu, 9th class
Ans: I have just visited the Passion Fruit Extraction Plant. I am sure, such plants will be established for pineapple, banana and other agricultural produce. Value addition to horticulture can definitely increase the revenue to the farmers. The North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Limited is promoting entrepreneurs for realizing this mission. I am sure, the schools and colleges should provide entrepreneurship training to the students so that they can undertake such missions.
4. Our?s is one of the fastest growing among the developing countries in Science & Technology, why should we make deal the developed countries to supply arms and others device for military purpose?
- Miss Ngaihthiem, 7th class
Ans: We are making number of defence equipments in the country. For example, Agni, Prithvi, Brahmos missiles are made indigenously. Similarly, we also manufacturing electronic warfare equipment, tanks and ships. However, some items of general interest for the armed forces we import in limited quantities to meet our urgent requirements.
5. Is there any possibility to set up a factory or industry in this area?
- Miss Hatneu, 10th class
Ans: Local entrepreneurs can definitely establish a number of food processing units in this area.
6. How can we make India a strong and powerful nation?
- Mr. Paocha, 7th class
Ans: As students, you must excel in your studies. Fix a aim, work towards the aim. Acquire knowledge continuously. When you work towards the aim you may find some problems. When you encounter the problems, defeat the problem and succeed. Whatever you do, if you do your best you are contributing to make the nation strong and powerful.
7. Can you please suggest us how to set up Biogas plant in this remote area?
- Mr. Thanglienmang, 8th class
Ans: What you need for the biogas plant is the bio-waste as the starting material. You have to arrange collection of bio-waste from different parts of the village. This bio-waste will be converted as briquettes which is the raw material for the biogas plants. Once this is available the biogas plant which has a heating system and a converting system which will convert the bio-mass into electricity.
8. Why weather forecasting satellite could not predict accurately?
- Mr. Thangliengou, 6th class
Ans: Weather is a continuously varying phenomena. There are short-term, medium-term and long-term weather forecast. All these forecast have to be integrated to get accurate prediction.
9. I want to see India as a developed country. How can we achieve this goal?
- Mr.Goulanmuon, 9th class
Ans: I have answered your question while answering the question No. 6.
10. With the introduction of SSA, poor children have the chance to get education upto some extent. What may be their future prospect?
- Mr. Soithiengou, 10th class
Ans: They can pursue education upto any level. For example, one of the students of Bunglon High School has qualified in the Civil Service Examination. I am sure, many of you will become doctors, engineers, lawyers, managers, scientists, technologists, teachers etc.