A report by Dr. Kamaraj

Thousands of Sheep led by single Lion is better than Thousands of Lions led by single Sheep

Prof. Prahlad Vadakkepat on Asianet Suprabhatham programme

25 February 2005 (8.00 to 8.30 am)

By Dr. V. Kamaraj, Madras

Dear Friends, I feel proud and happy to be the part of NSSCE 82-86 Electrical Engineering Class for many reasons. Today I found one more reason.

In fact I was concerned about the TV Programme. Because I know how TV editors can make you look bad. I know how the "freeze and squeeze" mistake that can make you sound like you're 10 years old. How Prahlad is going to handle the situation, NOT to be a boring guest ..., so the interviewer doesn't cut short. How Prahlad is going to deal with a belligerent interviewer so he doesn't get caught in a trap! These were my concerns.

After watching the programme I was really happy. Definitely Prahlad will be invited year after year by the TV people. The programme was well organized. My sincere thanks go to Asianet TV Program coordinators. While Prahlad answered the questions I found 3 essentials of good presentation.

1. Intelligence
2. Skill
3. Right attitude

The topic of discussion ranging from Asimov’s laws to the deadline of 2050 for the HUMONOID vs. HUMANS was not possible without intelligence. During the entire programme Prahlad looked like an expert, a star and a savvy TV talk show guest. This is possible only with Skill. The whole programme was interesting and informative. Without right attitude this was not possible.

In my opinion some of the questions asked by both the interviewers are some times repetitive and some times silly. The target group of the programme is entire Malayalam speaking people spread across the world. This includes Academicians, Politicians, Business men, IAS Officials who mobilizes huge funds for various development projects. These people must understand how technologies can help when calamity strikes our nation. These People must understand where and how to spend the tax payers money. What kind of infrastructure for scientific development our nation needs at this instant. What must be the VISION? This is an important aspect apart from ordinary people knowing about Robot. If the questions are directed in this direction Prahlad would have answered well. Asking question requires more skill than answering.

A Storyline:

My Father once told me a story which has the power to stimulate me this day.

Once upon a time there lived a Lion. He ruled over a vast Jungle. One day the Lion thought all the animals in the forest do not have a sense of humor but all day worked seriously having no fun. Brooding over this the Lion had a cruel idea. Soon he called all the animals in the forest and arranged for a meeting. The Lion expressed its evil plan. Every day there is going to be a meeting in the jungle. Each day one animal has to come forward and tell joke. The circle will start from the biggest animal. After listening to the joke all the animals must laugh. If any one of the animal in the meeting failed to laugh after listening to the joke, the animal which is joking will be executed.

First day Elephant came up with an interesting joke. Except Tortoise all the other animals laughed after hearing the elephant's joke. As the Tortoise had failed to laugh the Lion killed the elephant. Next day Giraffe came up with a joke. Same thing had happened. Tortoise failed to laugh and the lion killed the giraffe.

On the third day a strange thing had happened. It was tigers turn. When tiger came up to tell the joke all the animals looked at the Tortoise instead the tiger which is about to tell its joke. The Tortoise started laughing. The Lion got angry and asked the Tortoise why it is laughing even before the Tiger started talking. The Tortoise’s answer was this. It is laughing thinking about the first day Elephant's joke.

The question we have to ask ourselves is about the Tortoise. If it was sensitive it could have saved other animals.

Now my message is this:

All of us watched the Asianet TV programme. We enjoyed seeing how Prahlad had communicated. How he presented his thoughts. How he handled the questions. How he used visuals. Our responsibility does not stop here. We must give feedback to Asianet, about the programme. If the same interview was with some cinema actresses, Asianet would have received thousands of letters saying that superb.

This is the time we MUST SPEAK.

Here Prahlad is just a symbol – a symbol representing a hard working and sincere academician, scientist and technocrat. Tomorrow it may be a scientist from VSSC. It may be an academician like Dr. Bhasker Ramamoorthy of IIT.

Abdul Kalam alone can not increase the Indian share in the international science and technology scene. We need lot of heroes with good leadership qualities like that.

There is an Arab proverb "Thousands of Sheep led by single Lion is better than Thousands of Lions led by single Sheep."

We are missing such Lions in the name of Brain Drain.

For example consider an Under Graduate student who might have watched the Asianet programme. The programme, as we know, was stimulating. He will immediately catch the key words like Path finding Algorithm, Asimov’s laws, Humanoids etc. It may raise his curiosity and some how he will try to pursue such algorithm with better capability.

Prahlad has told about the August conference in UK. Some people may be interested to participate. We don't know how to reach our full potential, because we don't know our potential.

The person who was in charge of the interviews was: Mr. Vinod mankara [vinodmankara@yahoo.co.in], Senior Producer, Asianet. You may write to him directly.