ROCKETRY: THE NAMBI EFFECT

ROCKETRY: THE NAMBI EFFECT

Table of Content:

• Who is S. Nambi Narayan?
• Life of S. Nambi Narayanan at ISRO
• The Espionage Charges Against S. Nambi Narayanan
• Life of S. Nambi Narayanan After Espionage Charges

• In the last few days on the various social media platform, you may have read or heard the name, S. Nambi Narayanan. Let's know who is S. Nambi Narayanan and why his name is coming up frequently in the news or on social media platforms lately.
• S. Nambi Narayana is a Former ISRO Scientist and Aerospace Engineer. He used to be a Senior Scientist at the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and was the Head of the Cryogenic Division there.  A film titled ROCKETRY: THE NAMBI EFFECT was launched in late 2018, this movie is based or inspired by the biography of S. Nambi Narayanan whose trailer is launched today 01-04-21, is the reason, why the name S. Nambi Narayanan is in the news lately. The film Rocketry: The Nambi Effect is Written and Directed by talented and versatile actor R. Madhavan. R. Madhavan is playing the title role in this film. This film will focus on the life journey of S. Nambi Narayanan, how he became an ISRO Scientist and later how he was framed for espionage against his own country and his own organization, where he worked really hard in the field of the Cryogenic Engine, and at last how he overcome through those harsh & humiliating times.

Who is S. Nambi Narayan?

• No one could have imagined at that time that from a middle-class Iyengar Brahmin family of Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu a child will rise to be an ISRO Scientist. S. Nambi Narayanan was Born on 12 December 1941. He had completed his schooling from his hometown Nagercoil. He had completed his Engineering from Thiagarajar Engineering College, Madurai and later he went to Princeton University, New Jersey for further studies in the field of Chemical Rocket Propulsion. He was offered US citizenship by NASA so that he can stay there and work for NASA but he wants to serve his motherland so he came back to India and after that, he joined ISRO in 1966.   

Life of S. Nambi Narayanan at ISRO: -

• S. Nambi Narayanan gave his life’s 35 (approx.) years to ISRO. He worked with India’s most brilliant minds like Satish Dhawan, Vikram Sarabhai, U.R. Rao and A.P.J. Abdul Kalam etc. at ISRO.
• Mr Nambi has started to work for ISRO in 1966 as Payload Integrator along with renowned scientist Y.S. Ranjan at Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station in Thumba, Thiruvananthapuram.
• In 1969 S. Nambi has earned a NASA fellowship vis Princeton University. He has completed his Master Degree in Rocket Propulsion there, under the guidance of professor Luigi Crocco in just 10 months, which was a record. He got expertise in Liquid Propellant, while in India at that time Rocket program used to conduct only by Solid Propellants. He was offered a job in NASA but he chooses his motherland to serve.
• After coming back to India, he started to work on Liquid Fuel Rocket Engine Technology in 1970, at the same time Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was working on Solid Fuels. By keeping the future of ISRO in mind ISRO Chairman Satish Dhawan and U. R. Rao have encouraged S. Nambi to develop Liquid Propellant Motors. S. Nambi successfully built a 600 kg Thrust Engine.
• S. Nambi Narayanan’s team really worked hard for two decades with French Assitance to develop Vikas Engine. This engine was later used by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) which took Chandrayaan-1 to the moon in 2008. For the second stage of PSLV and 2nd & 4th stage of GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle), Vikas Engine was used.
• In the early 90’s India signed an agreement with India’s all-time well-wisher Russia to transfer technology to develop Cryogenic fuel-based engines and procurement of two such engines for 235 crores. However, this deal couldn't saw the light of the day due to the USA. The USA created pressure on Russia via various channels so that this agreement can be cancelled. But India really wanted to make this deal for the future of ISRO so India signed a new agreement with Russia to bypass the monopoly. The new agreement was to fabricate four cryogenic engines with two mockups via floating a global tender. The Kerala Hitech Industries Limited was selected to provide the cheapest tender for fabricating engines. ISRO was happy with this deal but some unknown powers didn’t want India to create Liquid fuel-based Cryogenic Engines because India could have got a step ahead in Rocket Technology and could have earned billions of dollars for this technology as well. So, a fake narrative was set against S. Nambi to stop India from achieving this goal. If S. Nambi is removed from this project then India will lag behind in the race of making cryogenic engines. So, espionage charges pressed against S. Nambi and due to this ISRO had to remove him from the project.

The Espionage Charges Against S. Nambi Narayanan: -

• Everything was going smoothly after signing the deal with Russia for ISRO and S. Nambi Narayanan. In 1994 S. Nambi Narayanan arrested on the charges of Espionage. India wanted to become one of the few countries that have Cryogenic engine technology but the arrest of S. Nambi has shattered the dream of ISRO and India at that time. He was charged that he leaked the confidential Flight Test Data to unknown Maldivian intelligence Officers named Mariam Rasheeda and Fauzia Hasan.
• S. Nambi along with D. Sasikumaran was accused of selling the defence secretes for the millions of Rupees to Maldivians Intelligent Officers. S. Nambi had spent 48 days in jail and was tortured brutally.
• As per S. Nambi, he was tortured again and again to give false statement against the top officials of ISRO and this was done by two Intelligence Burau Officers, but S. Nambi refutes to do this. So, he was tortured like a terrorist, all the torture happened with him until he collapsed and hospitalized. 
• S. Nambi was really upset with ISRO cause ISRO didn’t support him in his worst time. But later ISRO Chairman Krishnaswamy stated that ISRO can’t intervene in a Legal Matter.
• Later S. Nambi and D. Sasikumaran were freed from all the charges against them by CBI in May 1996, and charges were dismissed by Honorable Supreme Court too in April 1998. After the dismissal of charges, S. Nambi and D. Sashikumaran transferred and given a desk job at Thiruvananthapuram.

Life of S. Nambi Narayanan After Espionage Charges: -

• When a person commits a small crime in India then he also creates unrest in his life. But when a person is charged with Espionage then people make that person miserable and torture him until his life become a living hell. The same thing happened with S. Nambi Narayanan, people used to burn his effigy in front of his house, used to curse him. People also abused his family members and threaten them. In short, their life was nothing short then of hell. But S. Nambi and his family stayed strong and together and fight out of this situation strongly.
• In 1999 National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) condemned the Kerala State Government for damaging the career of two scientists in Space Research.
• NHRC ordered Kerala State Government to pay S. Nambi a compensation of 1 Crore Rupees. But Kerala High Court ordered to Kerala Government to compensation him with 10 lakh Rs.  In 2012. But Kerala Government had not followed the court order and also dropped charges against the police officials who were involved in this false espionage case. Later one of the top officials named Siby Mathews who was involved in this case was appointed as Chief Information Officer by the Kerala Government.
• In late 2013 S. Nambi Narayanan demands justice in his case and also demanded to disclose the people who were behind this conspiracy. He stated that things like this will always discourage the youth of this country, the youth who wants to serve his/her nation.
• In late 2013 S. Nambi Narayanan demands justice in his case and also demanded to disclose the people who were behind this conspiracy. He stated that things like this will always discourage the youth of this country, the youth who wants to serve his/her nation.
• In late 2018, the Apex Court of India forms a three-member panel. This panel was headed by Chief Justice Dipak Mishra who ordered the Kerala Government to compensate 50 lakh Rs to S. Nambi for his mental torture and his suffering throughout these years. Now S. Nambi started a fight for his honour and for justice through various forums. Later Kerala Government paid the sum of 1.3 Crore Rs as compensation to S. Nambi Narayanan.
• On 26 January 2019 S. Nambi Narayanan awarded Padma Bhushan by the Indian Government.
• He also wrote his autobiography “Ormakalude Bhramanapadham” on 26th October 2017.