Faced with the unwarranted uproar stemming from his yet-to-be-published memoir, S. Somanath, the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has decided to postpone the formal launch of the book.
“The book is not published yet. Some review copies have been seen by the press I think. I am withholding its release, as unnecessary controversies have cropped up. The intent of the book is to inspire young people to look at struggles and overcome them,” Somanath told news agency IANS.
He expressed his dissatisfaction with the media's focus on a fraction of the content. “I was trying to highlight the challenges one faces while going to the top. This is not telling Dr. Sivan (former ISRO chief) prevented or obstructed me. I wish to disagree with the interpretation in the article,” Somanath clarified, alluding to a news report.
When questioned about potential revisions to the contentious sections of his autobiography, Somanath stated, “I am not publishing for the time being.
In his memoir titled 'Nilavu Kudicha Simhangal' (The Lions that Drank the Moon), Somanath is believed to have mentioned the delay in his promotion to the Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) by K. Sivan after the latter assumed the role of ISRO Chairman.
According to Somanath, his elevation only materialized following the intervention of the former VSSC Director, B.N. Suresh. The memoir also suggested that the Director of U.R. Rao Space Centre was appointed as a member of the Space Commission to thwart Somanath's ascent to the ISRO Chairman position, as Sivan was pushing for an extension.
(With agency inputs)
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