ISRO Chief S Somanath shares his inspiring journey to success: ’Had no money, bus fare’

mangaloretoday.com/News18

Chennai, Oct 26, 2023: An influential scientist himself and a prominent figure in the field of science and technology in India, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman S Somanath needs no introduction. 

The man who has been behind several space missions and has led the country to conquer the moon is all set to release his autobiography next month. Titled ‘Nilavu Kudicha Simhangal’, the autobiography which is written in Malayalam promises to be a tale of motivation as he depicts his humble journey that begins with showing how a young boy who had no money for hostel fees or bus fare went on to represent the country on a global scale.

ISRO chief shares his inspiring journey

According to media reports, the autobiography shares deets of his life revealing how the ISRO chief used to travel to college on an old bicycle. It also includes details about the financial challenges that S Somanath faced during those days. The ISRO chief shared that he used to stay in a tiny and modest lodge due to financial constraints. The veteran scientist recalled that he was forced to stay in a tiny room in Kerala’s Kollam district, further adding that he had no money to pay his hostel fees while studying at the TKM Engineering College. Besides that, he was forced to commute to his college on an old bicycle as he had no money for the bus fare. Not just that, the scientist also had to skip necessary study tours due to his family’s financial conditions.

S Somanath on his career choice

Besides sharing deets of his struggles in his younger days, S Somanath also opened up on how he was confused like many of us when it came to making a choice regarding his career. Coming from an ordinary village, a youth who was unsure about whether to join engineering or BSc, S Somanath managed to remain on the right track and make decisions that took him to his current position.

As stated in media reports, the ISRO chairman intends to inspire people to chase their dreams while also battling adversities in their lives.

Speaking about the autobiography, the book will be released in November and is presently being published by the Kerala-based Lipi Publications. Besides shedding light on his personal life, the book also delves into the technical aspects of his journey at ISRO including the stories of PSLV, GSLV Mark III, and most importantly Chandrayaan-3.