My Dialogues with My Mentors
By JIRARA
© JIRARA, August 2022
Published by JIRARA
on matrubharti.com
All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, for any commercial purposes without the prior permission of the author and/or publisher.
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Disclaimer: This is the work of fiction as far as all the characters, their names and the names of all the events are concerned and all these are imaginary and hence any resemblance to the persons (and their lives) dead or alive, and any places are coincidental. Even if a few events might look realistic/’real’, these are fictionalised and the associated names are changed in order to maintain their privacy, honour, and security. No intention whatsoever is meant to hurt any feelings of whosoever, irrespective of their personal/cultural beliefs, social or political inclinations, religion-orientations/practicing/philosophy, life styles, and work/business. The ‘I’, ‘my’, ‘me’, and ‘mine’ (if any used) do not necessarily mean the author of this book/story/article, and these and other such pronouns: her, hers, his, he, she, him, you, your, yours, ours, theirs…; are used for effective personification and dramatization, and the readers should not take these on their ‘own persons’.
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The readers should take these stories/verses/thoughts with/in good spirit. The presented ideas and material are based, where feasible, on readings and (thought-) analyses of scientific/other open literature (which seemed most profound and trustworthy), with as much care as possibly taken. The readers are requested to verify these notions on their own, and use their own discretion. However, these stories/verses/thoughts/ideas (mostly original) are expressed here with an intention of increasing awareness of the readers with a hope that in an overall sense, their (and ours) consciousness would be heightened (in all and multiple directions), so that we all can live our lives on this planet with true happiness, ever-lasting peace and real joy (irrespective of our orientations). The author and the publisher will not be responsible for any negative effects/situations arising as a result of reading these stories/verses and/or following the suggestions if any; and no discussions/dispute of any kind will be entertained at any time and in any way, manner, and/or forum; because the dictum is that if you like(-d) you read, otherwise ignore, what is the point in making a fuss about it?; anyway you are independent to judge the messages in the articles/stories and utilize for your benefits if found useful, since here the idea is in the direction of ‘consciousness raising’. JIRARA.
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My Dialogues with My Mentors
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(In the forward chronological order)
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JRR: We wish you, and your entire broader family/ies, very prosperous, rewarding, and healthy New Year 2021, that would be full of happiness, joy, and heavenly bliss. You all please be very careful and be much safer.
Dr. SBK: Thanks for your wishes. I wish you the same for 2021. I am very happy to see your growth as an intellectual giant since I last interacted 30 years ago. All the best.
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(On JRR getting featured in the list of the Stanford University as one of the top 2% scientists/researchers of the world for the year 2019).
Srinath (Dr. S. Srinathkumar/Dr. SSK): Good Achievement. I also read in Deccan Herald two scientists from NAL are also in the list. Thanks for sharing.
JRR: Thanks boss. The technical and dialogue-culture of FMCD that had been evolved by Dr. SBK, and you have gone in a long way to shape and mould our intellectual efforts in several right directions, and the individuals like me get some benefits from such mentoring. I hope you are doing well. Pl take care and be safer.
Dr. SSK: Dear Raol: In responding to your previous mail dated 25 November 2020, I just read the links you had sent, Business Today and Economics times, I looked all over for your name and did not find it. I realized that I had totally missed out on reading the attachment you had sent!! Very sorry (Getting old!).
This is my reaction to the attachment: Wow and Congratulations. You richly deserve the honour Stanford University has bestowed on you. We are very proud of your achievements all these years and wish you will continue to contribute. More importantly as a mentor, you have inspired and encouraged many young students who have achieved their full potential. Hope you will continue to do this. Again, my heartfelt Congratulations and sorry for my earlier slip up. Take care
JRR: Thanks very much boss. I don't think there were any great mentors like you two (Dr. S. Balakrishna/SBK), in my mind you were much ahead of many of your contemporaries as well as of the time; this was ascertained when LCA flew with control law designed/synthesized by the team under your technical/expert guidance; one cannot imagine what would have happened to the aircraft program if the leadership from you had not been available; and this was, of course the outcome of the three decades of properly planned works, and projects by both of you, in some phased manner; and it gives a strong feeling that you people knew then, what exactly would be required after three decades!
Unfortunately, the bigwigs are not able to understand this subtle aspect of technology forecasting and orchestrated development that you and your teams over a period of time successfully exercised and executed; and the final results were/are rewards to the several organisations, and the country.
Congratulations to you two. We are always obliged, and for our errors/odd excursions, we stand corrected and be forgiven. With best wishes.
Dr. SSK: Thanks for your nice sentiments about SBK and the self.
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(After three hours’ actual and successful trial, at the MSRIT Hospital, of the artificial pancreas developed, as a part of the project sponsored by the government of India, by teams of the IISc. under the leadership of Prof. R. Padhi, dept. of aerospace engg.)
Prof. R. Padhi: Huge success...Cheers!!! . Thank you very much for coming. Thank you for your initial support, which was quite crucial.
JRR: It was real-time real-life demo of artificial pancreas project of Prof. Padhi of IISc. This involved one type I diabetes patient, doctors and nurses. In modelling work I had contributed; hence I was invited as an observer at MSRIT hospital. I was consultant for three months with Prof. Radhakant Padhi, Aerospace Dept., for the initial work of parameter estimation for the modelling of data of diabetes type I patients (MSRIT hospital), and that particular work got first prize of ₹ 100,000 (1 Lakh) when it was presented at the International Summit on Diabetes at Pune in that year. This artificial pancreas requires math-model based control for insulin pump.
Dr. SSK: Wow and Congratulations!!! To make PID modelling and demonstrating its use in an actual patient is a phenomenal success. I hope you will continue to contribute such efforts in the Health Care field. It is so very rewarding. Congrats again, take care.
Dr. SBK: Nice to see your latest photo, you look great. My congrats on you modelling contribution to diabetics, a world-wide problem, best wishes.
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(On writing the book: Flight Mechanics Modelling and Analysis-The Revised Edition, to be published by the CRC Press, Taylor & Francis, Florida, USA in the end of the first quarter of 2023.)
Dr. SBK: Gentlemen, I am very happy to see that the seeds of Flight Mechanics I sowed in NAL in 1970’s under very adverse conditions (not many people know about that) is steadily yielding fruits in different dimensions. I feel glad my time in NAL was not totally wasteful. My heart felt compliments to you two (J R Raol, and Jatinder Singh), and to learn about your new latest publication (Flight Mechanics Modelling and Analysis). My best wishes to you folks for continued intellectual activity.
Prof. RCD (Professor R. C. Desai): Dear Raolji, I am delighted to read the acknowledgement part of your new book on Flight Mechanics Modelling and Analysis, wherein you have remembered me as a teacher to initiate you on identification and estimation theory. I thank you for the same. But, I must admire your modesty that even after a lapse of 40 years, you do care to remember your roots, the teachers and the alma mater. I congratulate you on new revised edition of your book on this subject by the International publisher. I had a tough time in finding a publisher Tata McGraw hill in 1970 for my first book - Identification Techniques.
My granddaughter NIMI has now appeared for CBSE Std XII examination and awaiting results. She has appeared in an aptitude test conducted by a renowned institute in Bangalore and is above the acceptable bench mark. If she finally goes there, I would let you know to act as a guardian in the initial stages till she settles down. I have your old Mobile Phone Number 9740078712 but I do not remember your residential address where you had taken me for Lunch whenever I used to visit NAL/IISc. Let me know that too. With best wishes, Yours sincerely, R C Desai.
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Dr. SBK: I recall your arrival at NAL interview for position of Scientist in then Systems Division in 1970’s. You always appeared to me to be an intellectual with mild but very analytical bent of mind, in Sanskrit a true ‘Meghavi’. I kept track of your evolution as a group leader and then as head of FMCD, remotely. Your post retirement activities in MSR institute have been very broad intellectually and you have been a true Guru/Acharya for a large group of youngsters.
Archival books you authored have been very profound. My heartfelt compliments on a great professional life. I am truly humbled by your dedication in your book on Flight Mechanics, which Dr. SSK deserves more. Best wishes for your future endeavours.
JRR: Yes, we have a lot of nostalgic memories of working together, and that the legacy you had created has left a lasting impression on my mind, and I always feel very lucky to have been associated with you; and the kinds of activities that we used to do, all gave all the personnel who worked in your group/division a tremendous practical and rewarding experience. It was a remarkable era and was like an ancient 'technical' gurukul in modern times. I think today there isn't any group the kind of what is the FMC in the country; doing lots of multidisciplinary and truly relevant work for the country in that small, and yet very vibrant 'space' of the world. Kudos to you and Dr. SSK. With best wishes and regards,
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