The assertions made by former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan in the film "Rocketry: The Nambi Effect" and through various media networks, according to a number of former ISRO scientists, were untrue and amounted to defamation of the space agency.
On August 24, Dr. A. E. Muthunayagam, Director - LPSE, ISRO; Prof. E. V. S. Namboothiri, Project Director - Cryogenic Engine; D. Sasikumaran, Deputy Director - Cryogenic Engine and other former ISRO scientists gathered with the media to "debunk" the allegations made in the film. The biographical play, which was written, produced, and directed by actor R Madhavan, is based on the life of aeronautical engineer Nambi Narayanan, played by Madhavan in the movie.
"We are forced to tell the public certain matters as Nambi Narayanan has been defaming ISRO and other scientists through the movie Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, and also through television channels. His claims that he is the father of many projects is false. He even claimed in the movie that he once corrected A P J Abdul Kalam, who went on to become the Indian President. That is also false," the former scientists said.
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They added that they had requested S. Somanath, the current chairman of ISRO, to make a judgement about the misleading claims made in the film. The researchers disputed Narayanan's assertion in the film that his detention had caused a delay in India's acquisition of cryogenic technology. They claimed that ISRO started working on cryogenic technology in the 1980s under the direction of E V S Namboothiri.
"Narayanan was not having any connection with the project," they claimed. The group of former scientists also claimed that at least 90% of matters mentioned in the movie in connection with ISRO are false.
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"We also came to know that Narayanan has claimed in some television channels that all that was said in the movie was true. Some scientists have even raised concern that Narayanan was taking credit for many of their achievements," they said.
Regarding the claims made by the former scientists, Narayanan and the film's producers made no quick response. A review of the Kerala police's involvement in the ISRO espionage case, in which 76-year-old Narayanan was charged, was mandated by the Supreme Court in 2018.
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After spending over two months behind bars, the CBI determined that the espionage case against Narayanan, who was arrested in the case, was untrue. The espionage case, which affected the state in 1994, involved claims that two scientists and four others, including two Maldivian women, transferred certain space programmes to foreign nations.
The CBI took up the case after the state police completed their initial investigation, which revealed no evidence of the claimed espionage. The scandal also had political repercussions, with the late K Karunakaran, the then-chief minister, being targeted by a faction of the Congress over the matter and ultimately resigning as a result. The incident was also used by the Left to criticise the previous Congress administration.
(With PTI inputs)
