Tapan Misra

We are at the doorstep of wide expectations, palpabale in Team SISIR.

Three Microwave Hyperspectral GPRs are under evaluation in the depth of 400 m in the mines atop the Aravalli range. These GPRs were specially designed for rough and tough terrains of real environments of mines.

Cultural tradition has a way of repeating itself. In my ISRO days, we used to embark on flight tests of all our SARs after offering obeisance to the God of eternal wisdom, Lord Bajrangbaliji. So on Lord Hanuman day of Saturday 6 May 2023, when he freed Lord Shani from the evil prison of Ravana, we initiated the metal cutting of integrated assembly of our drone SAR.

On Saturday we machined the first piece in the jigsaw in our CNC machine. We build as much possible in house, to keep the very precious funds under tight leash. Frugality, thy name is innovation!

Our drone is undergoing tests for endurance and battery management evaluation for the last two months. We have tested the various components to the best of our knowledge and understanding. Very soon we will test our SAR on the drone.

My long experiences always humbled me that just like two children born out of same parents are never identical in personality, every hardware system has its own personality. You have to slog hard to understand and channelise the personality of the system. Then only great hardware system is born. There is no short cut. Every short cut can potentially lead to a very long cut!!

Team SISIR have graduated through these learning stages in hard way, when our Hyperspectral GPR metamorphosed to the present sleek models via a series of innovative evolutions and rigorous testing of the hardware as well as its software. Team SISIR is all set to go through the birth pangs of an operational drone SAR.

I sometimes narrate to my young colleagues, some of my myriad experiences of facing crushing failures and converting them to hard earned experiences by imbibing appropriate lessons from those failures. This is the greatest takeaway for me, from my almost four decades long stint in the great institution – ISRO – bearing the legacy of Prof. Vikram Sarabhai.

Team SISIR keeps striving for their goal continuously, looking for openings and way outs from the unexpected obstacles in their journey to success and satisfaction, rather than getting bogged down by the obstacles. Our sages from ancient times have identified the mantra of success in life in Aitareya- Upanishad, “Charaiveti, Charaiveti” ( Keep moving on, Keep moving on).

The author, Tapan Misra, is a distinguished scientist. He was Director Space Applications Centre and is recognised globally as father of Indian SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radars). Today, he heads the startup – SISIR Radar