Since Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Chandrayaan-3 mission successfully soft-landed on the moon’s south pole, India’s nationalism has reached an all-time peak across all spectrums. Whether it’s politics, media, sports, Bollywood, or the general populace, strong vibes of nationalism could be felt. Such mass hysteria in our country is typically observed during high-voltage cricket matches or after a highly publicized surgical strike’s!
What ISRO has achieved is undoubtedly an engineering brilliance and a stepping stone for global extra-terrestrial research, given the importance of the moon’s south pole.
However, one should never forget that science and, to some extent, technology are universal entities that no single nation can claim sole sovereignty over. Furthermore, science progresses through active scientific collaborations, scientific conferences, published researched articles, exchange of innovative ideas, and enduring partnerships, not just limited to national borders but spanning the entire globe. Science and technology are universal, just as the scientists who have contributed to the progress of science, e.g., Newton, Kepler, Einstein, Aryabhata, Sir CV Raman, and others.
Undoubtedly, ISRO is an organization that holds international significance. However, ISRO needs to be cautious of its image and integrity when it comes to public perception, both nationally and internationally. Nationalism has entered ISRO through the backdoor and has taken on a new discourse by intertwining itself with ISRO’s scientific achievements. One might contest the “backdoor” comment I made earlier and argue that nationalism has not chosen the backdoor of ISRO, but it had the audacity to make a grand entrance on the screens of ISRO’s global live telecast and further to disrupt the chairman of ISRO while addressing the taxpayers of India about the mission’s status through a personal phone call. Apparently, the video of this personal phone call with ISRO’s director was later used as a publicity stunt. Hyper reactions of nationalism were also widely noted among the very young at universities, schools and collages.
The world has already witnessed the impact of strong nationalism fueled by science and technology. Can the world forget the ominous rise of nationalistic regimes in Europe and across many parts of the globe?
ISRO is an independent institution of India that engages in science and technology for the benefit of humanity, contributing to the solution of global problems. The world has already heard from the director of ISRO, who acknowledged the support from NASA, JPL, ESA, and Australia’s space agency underscoring the global contributions to the success of Chandrayaan-3. I hope ISRO makes every effort to promote scientific temper (as per Article 51 A(h) of the Indian constitution) among the youth, the masses and creates an atmosphere of inclusiveness and global teamwork in India – the very foundations of science and technology.
Furthermore, one should not forget that the scientific findings about the moon’s south pole and the existence of usable water forms are yet to be published and discussed. Let’s hope Chandrayaan-3 provides valuable scientific insights for the better progress of humanity.
