Chennai: Even after 40 years, former professors and batch mates in Madras Institute of Technology (MIT) in Chromepet remember the 29th batch clearly as Thrimoorthy’s batch as ‘Brahma, Siva and Narayana’ studied there.
One of the three students, K.Sivan went on to work in Isro for four decades and now has been appointed as Isro chairman.
It is a proud moment for MIT as it has produced another top class scientist after Abdul Kalam, who had scaled to the highest position in Indian Space Research Organisation after nearly four decades of hard work.
“He shares a special bonding with our college. He would visit here after rocket launches and give special lectures to our students. Sometimes, he used to walk silently in our corridors remembering the old days,” said Professor Rajadurai, dean, MIT.
His friends remember Sivan as soft spoken, jovial and hardworking student.
“Even in his student days he was very dedicated. We remember his batch as Thrimoorthys’ batch as three students had the names Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma,” said Jayaraman, retired professor from the department of aerospace, MIT.
“And he was able to take care of his research,” he vividly recollected.
One of the Thrimoorthies, Krishna Kumar Brahma or also known as K.K.Brahma said, “Mr Sivan is a modest and hardworking person. He achieved greater heights through his sheer hard work.”
He did ME with Sivan in IISc as well. Later he worked in National Aeronautical Laboratory. M.S.Narayanan, another moorthy from 1977-80 batch, remembered things more clearly.
“He was always interested in propulsion side and that’s why he joined VSSC’s liquid propulsion centre,” he said. He later joined in Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and retired as additional general manager (design), Helicopters.
The three of them never got a chance to meet after their college days. Now after the news reached them, they plan to welcome their friend to Bangaluru where the Isro’s head office is situated.
