On May 29, several nail-biting minutes after the GSLV-F12/ NVS-01 mission rose to the skies from Sriharikota, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) tweeted: ‘‘Mission is accomplished.’‘ For one man especially, the thrill of triumph was also mixed with relief.
N. P. Giri, Project Director, Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), and Mission Director for the GSLV-F12/NVS-01 flight, was only two days away from retirement. It was the maiden flight of the GSLV-Mk II after an agonising failure two years ago and he was loath to miss a chance at turning that failure into success.
Two days after the successful launch, he retired from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) which he had joined almost four decades ago. Speaking to The Hindu on Friday, Mr. Giri, who hails from Nedumangad, Thiruvananthapuram, described the GSLV-F12/NVS-01 mission as ‘‘the best retirement gift.’‘
