The core members of the 'Forum for former LRDEians' during a recent reunion.
By Anantha Krishnan M
Express News Service
By Anantha Krishnan M
Express News Service
Bangalore: Radars built by them have been virtually scanning the skies for 50 years, effectively tracking the good, the bad and the unwanted flying objects. Their radars Indra and Rajendra have stood ground doing the duties in 2D and 3D modes for the Indian armed forces for a long time. Now, retired scientists and employees of the Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE) – a Defence Research and Development Organisation lab making radars and associated technologies -- are panning their hearts from skies to society. Their mission: Give it back to society, what ever it takes.
Called the 'Forum for former LRDEians,' the three-year-old silent movement is all set to get propelled with the likely formation of a Foundation embedding scientific temper and societal sensibility. Started with six people in 2009, the movement has now grown in strength with over 250 former scientists, engineers, technical staff and administration officers signing up officially.
A K Sugunan, secretary and the brainchild of forum told Express that the regrouping of LRDE employees after retirement, is steadily showing signs of progress. “To all of us, it's an inspiring move in our life. Though we are all aged, we don't want to fade away just like that. While we might have taken care of ourselves ensuring a safe retired life, there are many out in the society not sure of what the next morning would look like. We want to touch their lives,” says Sugunan, a retired technical officer from LRDE.
Eradication of child labour is one area that will fall under the scanner of these retired, yet raring radar men. “We are going step by step. To start with, we are focusing on limited areas in Bangalore, where children are employed as labourers. We might have entered the last leg of our visit to Earth, but then we want to go back as spirited souls who gave something back to the society,” says 72-year-old P N H S Mani, forum's advisor and former senior scientist with LRDE.
Once the forum transforms into a Foundation, then these scientific souls in their sunset also plan to don the role of mentors. “We have a huge knowledge bank available with us and we are keen that the public benefit from it. Be it getting into DRDO or any other defence establishment, we will counsel the students on the road ahead,” says M C Padakannaya, former senior scientist with LRDE and forum president.
As a pilot project, the forum has brought a Corporation School in Bangalore's Suddaguntapalaya under their radar and has already provided books to the library, in addition to donating storage facilities. “So far, so good. With more awareness, we are confident of helping more people,” says Sugunan, from whose house the mission control room for the forum's dream project operates. (For more info email: aksugunan@gmail.com)
(Copyright@The New Indan Express)
