Chandrayaan 2 updates: ISRO successfully launched its Mooncraft on July 22 onboard the giant rocket GSLV Mk III M-1 as promised by the ISRO chief K Sivan. The launch was smooth and hassle-free and has propelled the Chandrayaan 2 spacecraft on its way to the Moon’s south polar region to find water based on the findings of its first lunar mission Chandrayaan 1. Among the extraordinary people of ISRO who made this launch possible is a brilliant scientist, ‘Chandrakanta Kumar’, who has his own inspirational story. Hailing from Hoogly’s Shibpur Village, in West Bengal, he was born in Mudhusudhan Kumar’s family. Kumar is a farmer. Chandrakanta was to be named Suryakanta. His father said that the kid’s teacher advised them to name him otherwise, and thus he was named as Chandrakanta. The role of this kid, who grew to be a scientist at ISRO in lunch of Chandrayaan 2, is notable.
It is said in tales that name defines your destiny, and Chandrakanta ended up being a senior scientist of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and was an important face among the people leading the Chandrayaan 2 mission. Talking with News18, father of Chandrakanta, Mudhusudhan Kumar said that “When the mission was called off on July 15, we were sad. But, our hopes were high and we were ready to witness the most powerful rocket of India lift-up to start a journey on a challenging mission. It is a thing to be proud of, that our son is an essential part of the team of Chandrayaan 2 mission.”
It is the intelligence of Chandrakanta, which is behind the design of the antenna systems for the Indian satellites and also ground stations. Chandrakanta has also played important roles in previous space missions of ISRO like Chandrayaan-1, ASTROSAT and GSAT-12. He was the Deputy Project Director for Chandrayaan 2 and was responsible for the RF system (radio-frequency system). At UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) Chandrakanta was the head of the ‘Electromagnetics’ Section.
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Chandrakanta’s mother said that she is very happy and proud of her son. “He (Chandrakanta) called me in the morning (on the day of launch) and told me to watch on TV Chandrayaan 2 rocket going up in the sky. It makes me really happy and proud that despite all odds my son managed to overcome all hurdles and became a scientist,” she added.
Even his younger brother is a scientist and is named Sashikant after the Moon. It is understood that becoming a scientist at ISRO certainly required a lot of hard work and despite belonging to a farmer’s family Chandrakanta made it through to be a part of one of the most crucial missions of ISRO and has proved that there is no alternative to hard work.
This is an inspirational story of a person from a humble background who became a man the world knows today and inspires many who have big dreams.
