Scientists write to Prez questioning transfer of ISRO scientist Tapan Misra

A number of scientists have come together to protest what they call is a ‘politically-engineered’ transfer of Tapan Misra, director of the Ahmedabad-based Space Applications Centre (SAC), a crucial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), to Bengaluru as an adviser to ISRO chairman K Sivan.

Misra has been credited with developing space-borne radars, which can pierce through clouds and aid military surveillance, map annual cropping patterns and accurately predict cyclones. He contributed to the system design, simulation, integration, checkout and ground calibration for Multi-frequency Scanning Microwave Radiometer instrument which was carried on-board India’s OCEANSAT-1 satellite.

The buzz in the corridors is that the senior scientist was shunted out due to his differences with Sivan over the role of private entities in the different areas of ISRO's operations. Misra is one of the top contenders to head the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in future.

The scientists stated that one of the newspapers reported that ‘officials said his appointment as an adviser to the present chairman practically edges him out of the race to head the space agency. “It is a consultative post, not an executive one. The chairman has always been selected from the pool of executive directors. Besides, such a post never existed in the organisation before”, stated the report.

In a letter to the President of India, the scientists state that “We do not view this as an isolated incident. We as a nation have built, ISRO, Atomic Energy Commission, CSIR, DRDO, IARI, and a galaxy of other applied research establishments with a culture of stability, freedom to pursue research and to participate in international collaborations. The nation has looked at these great scientific institutions, created during the past 70 years, with hope and respect. The people of India are convinced that these scientific institutions have been the bedrock of much development and have brought laurels to the nation.”

“Misra has been transferred to ISRO Headquarters, for two reasons: first, because he had opposed delay in a project, and second, because of he opposes the move to privatize ISRO. If this is true, then the act of transferring Misra will cause widespread demotivation among scientific community as it constitutes a strong signal to scientists to either align their views with the political powers of the day, or else be prepared to migrate elsewhere if they want to practice independent scientific enquiry. Scientific excellence would seem not to matter any more,” stated the letter, quoting media reports.

The scientists have questioned why the government hasn’t responded to the questions and doubts. “Neither Government of India nor ISRO has responded to these reports. Considering the importance of excellence that we have achieve in space research, the nation awaits an official clarification,” stated the letter.

Moreover, the scientists stated, “The progress of science also requires an environment of scientific temperament. Science cannot be conducted successfully in a society that does not respect science or the scientific community. It is our constitutional duty as citizens of India to”develop and promote the scientific temper”, as per Article 51 A(h) of our Constitution, which is, of course, also binding on your government.”