In a heartwarming display of generosity, Dr. P Veeramuthuvel, the project director of Chandrayaan-3, has chosen to donate more than two years’ worth of his take-home salary as award money to his alma mater. The scientist, hailed for successfully steering the historic soft-landing on the Moon’s surface, sees his achievement as a collective effort and believes in giving back to the institutions that shaped him.
The Tamil Nadu government recognized Dr. Veeramuthuvel and eight of his colleagues with ₹25 lakh each as a gift for their remarkable feat on Gandhi Jayanti. Dr. Veeramuthuvel has decided to contribute the entire amount to the alumni associations of the institutions where he pursued his education.
Another scientist, Dr. M Sankaran, the Director of the UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru, follows suit by donating his ₹25 lakh award to the alumni associations of Thanthai Periyar Government Arts and Science College, Thiruchirapalli, and the Raja Serforji Government Arts and Science College, Thanjavur.
Dr. Veeramuthuvel emphasizes that the success of Chandrayaan-3 was “more about we and less about me,” prompting the decision to share the award with the institutions that played a significant role in his journey. Despite financial challenges, he views the substantial award money as an opportunity to contribute to the development of the institutions that contributed to his education.
Coming from a humble background, Dr. Veeramuthuvel’s philanthropic act underscores the values instilled by ISRO, providing a rich environment for individuals to contribute towards national development. His dedication to the Chandrayaan-3 mission involved four years of continuous work, with no vacations or holidays.
In a letter to the Tamil Nadu government, Sandhya Venugopal Sharma, the additional secretary for the Department of Space, reveals Dr. Veeramuthuvel’s intention to equally share the ₹25 lakh award among the alumni associations of Elumalai Polytechnic College, Villupuram; Sri Sairam Engineering College, West Tambaram, Chennai; National Institute of Technology (NIT), Tiruchirapalli, and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai.
Despite demands for awards and recognitions from the central government and ISRO, Dr. Veeramuthuvel’s selfless act stands out as a testament to the spirit of giving and gratitude within the scientific community.
Sources By Agencies