And the day has arrived. It was the 108 minutes flight which changed the world exactly 50 years ago today,
At 11.37 a.m. (IST), on April 12, 1961, a mighty Vostok spacecraft carrying a 27-year-old air force pilot, Yuri Gagarin, lifted off from the Baikonour cosmodrome and thundered into world history. For the first time man was escaping the earth's gravity and flying into space. Yuri became the world's first spaceman beating the Americans. The US followed on May 5,1961, with a 15-minute sub orbital flight by Alan Shepherd.
To mark the 50th anniv of this historic occasion, a number of films and books are being released all over the world today---well I do not know about India! ``Beyond Moon and Mars (BMM)'' will be downloading two films which will be available on the net later today.
Though it is the 50th anniv, BMM feels a touch of disappointment. Why? The reason is that the excitement and thrill relating to this great event is somewhat lacking in India, and hardly any of the science-related organisations especially in Mumbai have taken advantage of the situation to either educate youngsters about Gagarin or popularise space exploration. Surprisingly, India has not even brought out a special stamp to mark the occasion. Very unfortunate.
Such a low key affair, would have perhaps been appropriate had it been the 50th anniv of the first landing on the moon since Neil Armstrong by nature is a very recluse person and not too communicative as BMM discovered when he met him in November 1995. Nasa, however, would have gone to town on such an occasion.
Gagarin on the other hand is just the opposite as stories and articles about him suggest. Therefore, it would have been nicer if the 50th anniv was celebrated in a bigger way with exhibitions, public discussions and sale of Gagarin merchandize. Maybe we can start planning for the 75th anniv in a big way right now!
What better proof of the lack of knowledge about Gagarin celebrations than the response of some residents of Al Jabreya building at Marine Drive to this important event?
Why Al Jabreya Court? How many people are aware that Gagarin, when he came to Mumbai in October 1961, had dinner on the fourth floor of this building hosted by an eminent doc who was staying on the fourth floor? On Monday, when BMM visited Al Jabreya Court and spoke to a few residents about Gagarin. None of them were aware that the world's first spaceman had visited their building.
A doctor, Rahul Shroff, who was born and brought up in this building told BMM: ``This is the first time I am learning that Gagarin had visited our building. I am happy to know that our building was a part of the history of space exploration,'' he said.
As stated earlier, BMM's dad was a guest of Air India when it inaugurated its Mumbai-Moscow flight in the 60s. When he returned, he brought back with him a number of Gagarin memorobalia. BMM is wearing one of them today.
Hopefully, BMM should have a big poster of Gagarin soon.
Long live the memory of Gagarin.
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