#RocketBoys #Chandrayan3

I know I am late to the party. But I can’t stop talking about Rocket Boys on Sony Liv. I watched it the other day. I am not a science person. But as I watched Jim Sarbh as Dr. Homi Bhabha and Ishwak Singh as Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, I could not skip a moment of it.

Rocket Boys is the story India was built on. On hope and fortitude. A country colonized, yet a country that dared to dream. It’s so interesting how Dr. CV Raman takes in Dr Homi Bhabha, who later on takes in Dr. Vikram Sarabha, who in turn mentors Dr Abdul Kalam. I was awed by Dr. Bhabha. He was a Renaissance man. The scientist, the violinist, the painter and the lover. I loved Dr. Sarabhai’s idealism and the way his parents supported him.

But I noticed how privileged these men were. Dr. Sarabhai’s recommendation to Cambridge was written by Rabindranath Tagore, his sister also went to Cambridge. They had family relations with the Nehrus. They knew every one of whom we read about in history. Dr. Bhabha came from a renowned family and a very rich father. He called Nehru, “Bhai.” They had the rare privilege and access to all power corridors. Dr. Bhabha knew the Tatas and went to work with them for some time before BARC. But the beauty is that they pushed through so much and opened the gates where an underprivileged man like Dr. Kalam could finally become who he was. That’s the job of privilege- to open doors to others.

Mrinalini Sarabhai was the most dignified character. She did not tell Miss Kamala who her husband had an affair with, that she blamed her. I was awed at her grace and dignity. Pipsy had my heart. Her love for Dr. Homi and the chemistry they shared was so poignant. They never married each other. Yet they just loved each other. Love was so evident.

Patriarchy shows up when the reporter goes to Mrinalini Sarabhai to interview on her new dance project, but constantly keeps asking about her husband. And when Nehru dies, the way power politics plays is so evident. When Nehru was on his deathbed there were 100s of men around, only Mrs Gandhi the only woman. That scene speaks so much about power in the world and how we look at it.

Nehru dies, then Lal Bahadur Shastri, then Dr. Bhabha and then Dr. Sarabhai. They could not build the bomb, until 1971. Kalam was there.

I wept when Dr. Bhabha died and when Dr. Sarabhai died. It felt like someone you knew and loved died. You feel like someone who protected and cared for you died.

Though Pipsy married again, I wondered, was it ever possible to un-love Dr. Bhabha- the man who talked about science and poetry and was such a charming man. His last call before his death was to her. They loved each other. In life. In death.

Watch this web series to know where we came from. Chandrayan3 came because these men fought relentlessly in the face of all odds. The journey started long back, even before independence as a young man tried to fly a rocket in the yards of Cambridge.

Watch it to feel inspired. Watch it because it matters. Watch it because it will remind you what it took to build this nation.

The background score is out of the world.

As we touch the moon, the #RocketBoys must be so proud as they see it all from the heavens. And now there are so many Rocket Girls too, because someone one day dreamt of a country that will reach the moon.

And guess what, WE DID.

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