The Leapfroggers: An Insider's Account of ISRO
About this ebook
'We are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second to none in the application of advanced technologies to the real problems of man and society, and the courage to leapfrog to state-of-the-art engineering and technology pursuits rather than step-by-step scientific developments.' These famous words of Dr Vikram Sarabhai propel every initiative of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). The Leapfroggers, too, is an outcome of the same spirit. Featured in the book is Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the first Project Director of SLV-3, India's most prestigious space project in the 1970s. Ved Prakash Sandlas was part of Kalam's core team and eventually took over from him after the first successful launch in 1980. Sandlas was one of the first engineers to join ISRO in its formative years in the 1960s. In this book, he reflects on the ISRO culture: the styles, values and characteristics of its people; their aspirations and ambitions; and their beliefs, prejudices, superstitions and limitations. Woven with interesting anecdotes and scientific detail, The Leapfroggers is the human story of ISRO's and India's technological advancement.
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About the author
Ved Prakash Sandlas was one of the first fifty engineers who joined ISRO during the formative years of 1962-67 and rose to head SLV-3 as Project Director during 1980-84. Subsequently, he shifted to DRDO and worked as Director, Defence Electronics Applications Laboratory (DEAL), from 1986 to 1996 and later served as Distinguished Scientist and Chief Controller R & D from 1996 to 2005, in the area of using space technology for defence applications. He also set up the Amity Institute of Space Science and Technology, as Director General, along with Amity Institute of Aerospace Engineering (2008-13). He has been awarded DRDO's Scientist of the Year award (1988), FIE Foundation National Award (1998) for Science & Technology, and IIT Kharagpur Distinguished Alumnus Award (2012).
