Today morning, I found a link to another Indian Express story on the Antrix-Devas agreement on Twitter via @sonaliranade. After reading the report, I immediately browsed the ISRO website to find that it had tabled the High Power Committee Report on the Antrix-Devas Agreement. I shared this on twitter and got a few packets of biscuits while sitting down to read the Report, the conclusions and recommendations of the High Level Team and a note from ISRO on the same that puts both these documents in context. I just finished reading the Report now.
My first set of immediate reaction is I still think the Chairman, ISRO, Radhakrishnan must have issued a statement to the press to publicise the efforts he was taking. I still think people of the stature of Madhavan Nair should have been handled more appropriately when action was to be taken against him and others. I also must apologise because I misconstrued Radhakrishnan’s silence as a sign of Madhavan Nair’s allegations against him were true in regard to not giving him ample opportunity to speak. Radhakrishnan has still not responded on Madhavan Nair’s charge that he was out to get him. I think Madhavan Nair must also apologise publicly for his outburst in the media making false claims based on press reports.
The Report of the High Power Review Committee is a very instructive read on what they sought out to achieve through Antrix Corporation and India’s Satellite Communication Policy. I still think ISRO has not been able to move more nimbly through its ever expanding mandate. It is a period of change but it is also a period of stagnation with hardly any launches but perhaps with internal technological developments. ISRO has not been very enthusiastic on communicating these. The note responds to some of the accusations made by the former ISRO Chairman.
Parallel Spirals 