High school students gave him a standing ovation. Primary school students hugged him and touched his feet. Former teachers showered blessings on him.
After all, Sri Aurobindo Institute of Education (SAIE) wasn’t hosting just any alumnus. They were hosting a scientist who helped put India on the moon.
Soumajit Chatterjee is operations director of Chandrayaan-3. He is also an ISC 2003 passout of the CL Block school. In town for a week-long break from Bangalore, he had come to his alma mater to meet students.
For someone who helped send a rocket to the moon, Soumajit seemed rather grounded. “I studied in this school from Class VI to XII. We lived in the SBI officers quarters in HC Block then,” said the man whose family now lives in New Town’s CE Block. He then did B.Tech in computer science from Techno India, cleared Isro’s centralised recruitment board exam and has been working for the government agency ever since.
Hard work and humility
“I want to emphasise that you do not need to join the rat race of ranks. Work hard and your rank will be the by-product,” said the alumnus who had topped his school in the Board exams. “This school has taught me simplicity, competitiveness and team spirit. My teachers loved me so much! They believed in me. Back in the day, many students would change schools after Class X, but I stayed back because of the teachers.”
“Humility is something Isro teaches you too, as there are such great scientists there,” said the man who had met APJ Abdul Kalam briefly a couple of times.
Although not at liberty to discuss his work, Soumajit said his team had been working 16-17 hours a day towards the launch date in July. Students wanted to know what he thought about living on the moon (he preferred planet Earth) and if he thought science and spirituality clashed. (“Not really,” he said)
While his talk was for the senior students, it was the juniors who were more uninhibited when he popped into their classes unannounced. “Do you know who this is,” asked principal Anthony Das. “Chandrayaan!” the Class IV students gushed and ran to him.
One boy hugged Soumajit, another said “shubho vijaya” and bent to touch his feet. A few even took out chits of paper and ran after him for his autograph. “I’m feeling a mix of happiness and honour,” smiled the former captain of the school’s Enterprise house.
Now and then
But for students wanting to be space scientists, Soumajit’s advice was to keep options open. “It’s too early for you to choose careers. Isro may seem exciting now but after college many students opt for corporate jobs as they pay better,” he said frankly. “Keep your minds open to absorbing knowledge. In the meantime, ask the school to get more alumni to come and interact with you. This motivation you cannot get from Google.”
Nandita Chandra, who used to teach English when Soumajit was in school, remembered him as being a brilliant student who was equally respectful and obedient. “His intelligence he was born with but the other qualities he worked hard to inculcate,” said Chandra, who is now a governing body board member.
“Students will cherish this meeting and prepare to become another Soumajit,” said president of the school’s governing body, Sankar Banerjee. “We pray that the grace of Aurobindo and the Mother takes him far.I request him to reach for their words for guidance too.”
