Feathered Friend
To the best of my knowledge, there’s never been a regulation
that forbids one to keep pets in a space station. No one ever
thought it was necessary—and even had such a rule existed,
I am quite certain that Sven Olsen would have ignored it.
Actually he was a wiry little fellow, like most of the early
spacers, and managed to qualify easily for the 150-pound
bonus that kept so many of us on a reducing diet. Had he been
built otherwise, his chances of getting a job in space would
have been very slim.
Sven was one of our best construction men, and excelled at
the tricky and specialised work of collecting assorted girders
as they floated around in free fall, making them do the
slow-motion, three-dimensional ballet that would get them
into their right positions, and fusing the pieces together when
they were precisely dovetailed into the intended pattern:
it was a skilled and difficult job, for a space suit is not the most
convenient of garbs in which to work. However, Sven’s team
had one great advantage over the construction groups you see
putting up skyscrapers down on Earth. They could step back
and admire their handiwork without being abruptly parted
from it by gravity.
Don’t ask me why Sven wanted a pet, or why he chose the
one he did. I’m not a psychologist, but I must admit that his
wiry: thin but
strong
assorted:
consisting of
various types
mixed together
girders: long,
thick piece of
steel or concrete
that supports a
large structure
precisely:
exactly
dovetailed:
fitted together
garbs: clothing
of a special kind
handiwork:
creation
abruptly:
unexpectedly/
suddenly
selection was very sensible. Claribel weighed practically
nothing, her food requirements were tiny—and she was not
worried, as most animals would have been, by the absence
of gravity.
I first became aware that Claribel was aboard when I was
sitting in the little cubbyhole laughingly called my office,
checking through my lists of technical stores to decide what
items we’d be running out of next. When I heard the musical
whistle beside my ear, I assumed that it had come over the
station intercom, and waited for an announcement to follow.
It didn’t; instead, there was a long and involved pattern of
melody that made me look up with such a start that I forgot
all about the angle beam just behind my head. When the stars
had ceased to explode before my eyes, I had my first view
of Claribel.
She was a small yellow canary, hanging in the air as motionless
as a hummingbird—and with much less effort, for her wings
were quietly folded along her sides. We stared at each other for
a minute; then, before I had quite recovered my wits, she did
a curious kind of backward loop I’m sure no earthbound
canary had ever managed, and departed with a few leisurely
flicks. It was quite obvious that she’d already learned how to
operate in the absence of gravity, and did not believe in doing
unnecessary work.
Sven didn’t confess to her ownership for several days, and
by that time it no longer mattered, because Claribel was a
general pet. He had smuggled her up on the last ferry from
Earth, when he came back from leave—partly, he claimed,
out of sheer scientific curiosity. He wanted to see just how a
bird would operate when it had no weight but could still use
its wings.
Claribel thrived and grew fat. On the whole, we had little trouble
concealing our guest when VIPs from Earth came visiting.
A space station has more hiding places than you can count;
the only problem was that Claribel got rather noisy when she
was upset, and we sometimes had to think fast to explain the
curious peeps and whistles that came from ventilating shafts
and storage bulkheads.
There were a couple of narrow escapes—but then who would
aboard: on an
aircraft
cubbyhole: a
small enclosed
space or room
ceased: stopped
canary: a
popular bird
which people
love to keep as
pets; found in
open areas with
small trees and
shrubs
wits: ability to
think quickly
flicks:
sudden, quick
movements
concealing:
hiding
ventilating
shafts:
passageways or
ducts that allow
fresh air in a
closed space
bulkheads:
dividing walls
or barriers
between
separate
compartments
in an aircraft
Magnifying Glass
With this round glass
I can make Magic talk—
A myriad shells show
In a scrap of chalk;
Of but an inch of moss
A forest—flowers and trees;
A drop of water
Like hive of bees.
I lie in wait and watch
How the deft spider jets
The woven web-silk
From his spinnerets;
The tigerish claws he has!
And oh! the silly flies
The stumble into his net—
With all those eyes!
Not even the tiniest thing
But this my glass
Will make more marvellous
And itself surpass.
Yes, and with lenses like it,
Eyeing the moon,
‘Twould seem you’d walk there
In an afternoon!
Walter de la Mare
Bibha Chowdhuri Indian Science
towering: very
high or great
persistence:
ability to
keep doing
something
difÏcult
delved:
examined
something in
detail to find
information
trailblazers:
people who are
the first to do
something that
other people do
later
equitable:
treating
everyone fairly
and in the same
way
defied the
odds: achieved
something
despite
difÏculties
In a world where women’s potential in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is being recognised
beyond doubt, India has seen its share of trailblazers who
paved the way. Today, the women behind ISRO’s Mars Orbiter
Mission and Chandrayaan-3 are celebrated for their brilliance
and achievements. However, the foundation was laid by
early pioneers like Bibha Chowdhuri—India’s first woman
physicist—who carved a path in the male-dominated field
of physics.
At a time when Indian
women struggled to seek
knowledge and equitable
access to education, Bibha
Chowdhuri emerged as
a rare beam of light—a
woman who defied the
odds and lit a path for
others to follow. Born
in 1913 in Kolkata, in an
India that still followed the
traditional path. Bibha’s
story was anything but
ordinary. She was a scientist who rose not only against the
societal expectations of women but also amidst the towering
giants of science—men whose names the world would come to
celebrate, while hers was whispered only in the halls of those
who recognised her brilliance.
Bibha’s persistence eventually earned her a place at the Bose
Institute. She had already begun to chip away at the walls
of exclusion, becoming the first Indian woman to excel in
high-energy particle physics.
Breaking Boundaries
In 1945, Bibha’s academic journey took her to the University
of Manchester. Under the guidance of the celebrated Nobel
Laureate, Patrick M.S. Blackett, she delved deeper into the
field of cosmic rays. Her Ph.D. thesis on cosmic rays earned
local recognition, with newspapers introducing her as ‘India’s
New Woman Scientist—She has an eye for Cosmic Rays’. This
title reflected the awe she inspired in a world still sceptical of
her capabilities.
In an era marked by towering scientific discoveries, Bibha was
often on the cusp of greatness but remained in the shadows
of her male counterparts. Her most notable contribution
was the discovery of pi-mesons, a subatomic particle. Her
nomination for a Nobel Prize in 1950 by Erwin Schrödinger,
though unsuccessful, reflected her remarkable talent. Her
life, full of challenges and struggles, was marked by an uphill
battle to be heard and seen in the field of science. Chowdhuri
never received any awards during her lifetime, but continued
her work tirelessly.
In 1949, upon her return to India, she became the first woman
faculty member at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
(TIFR), personally selected by Homi J. Bhabha. Chowdhuri’s
contributions spanned across research institutes like the
Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad and the Saha
Institute of Nuclear Physics in Kolkata. This is where she
continued her work on cosmic rays and subatomic particles.
Through decades of crucial research, from Kolar Gold Mines
to the Physical Research Laboratory under the mentorship
of Vikram Sarabhai, Bibha’s work went on quietly, as she
remained in the periphery of Indian scientific acclaim.
She passed away in 1991, her story untold, her name
largely forgotten.
The Legacy of Bibha Chowdhuri and Today’s Women in
Indian Science
The stars are not meant to remain
hidden
forever.
In
2019,
the
International Astronomical Union
(IAU) honoured her legacy by
renaming a star in the constellation
Leo—HD
86081—as
‘Bibha,’
meaning ‘beam of light.’ Fittingly,
she is now a ‘star in heaven,’ a
symbol of the light she brought
to Indian science. A fitting tribute
periphery:
boundary
acclaim: praise
sceptical:
doubtful
notable:
remarkable
to a woman whose life was a radiant example of tenacity,
brilliance, and quiet determination. In 2020, the Government
of India declared a chair professorship in her name.
Fast forward to the present day, and the advancements made
by women in Indian science reflect Chowdhuri’s pioneering
spirit and the progress she helped ignite. Women in ISRO, for
instance, are no longer participants but leaders in missions
that make global headlines.
One such luminary is Dr. Ritu Karidhal Srivastava, popularly
referred to as the ‘Rocket Woman of India.’ Her pivotal role
in ISRO’s Mars Orbiter Mission and subsequent leadership in
Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3 reflect the leaps women
have made in STEM in India. Over 50 women contributed to
Chandrayaan-3, and their success is built upon the shoulders
of pioneers like Bibha Chowdhuri. Their roles in developing
autonomous
systems
for
spacecraft
and
managing
mission-critical operations highlight the capabilities of women
in pushing India’s space programme forward.
From Shadows to the Stars
The journey from Bibha Chowdhuri’s era to today’s women
scientists has been long and arduous, but it is also inspiring.
The struggles Chowdhuri faced are a stark reminder of how far
we’ve come—and how much further we have to go. But with
every cosmic achievement—be it landing on the moon or
reaching Mars—these women prove that the journey is well
worth it.
Bibha Chowdhuri’s legacy lives on. Her story continues to
inspire young women to pursue their passions, break barriers,
and leave their mark on the world. Whether exploring cosmic
rays or sending rockets to Mars, India’s women scientists are
writing the next chapter in a story that Bibha Chowdhuri
helped begin.
As the stars of Indian science shine brighter, Bibha Chowdhuri,
the beacon-‘beam of light,’ will always guide the way.
ignite: arouse
autonomous:
independent
arduous:
difÏcult,
needing a lot
of effort and
energy
stark: clear
beacon: a good
example that
gives people
hope and
encouragement
tenacity:
determination
to continue
what you are
doing