SPACE ORGANIZING IN INDIA

 

J. Narayana Rao lives in Nagpur, India and has been on the board of the Global Network for many years.  He is a retired railroad union worker and lives very frugally.  He's been involved in the Indian peace movement for a long time and also works hard to help poor people get what little bit of support from the government they can get.  He's a tremendous inspiration to all of us.

This weekend Rao organized a workshop on peace in space issues for young people in his community.  I wanted to share his very moving report from that event.  I'm sure you will be touched by it as I was.  The Global Network tries to send some money to Rao each year to help him with his space organizing projects across India.  He often travels the country speaking to students and bringing the otherwise unknown issue of space militarization to the next generations.  The US is dragging India into the space warfare program particularly aimed at its neighbor China.  We are going to have to send him even more resources to do this vital work.

Today the first Workshop on “Space for Peace” has been held in the Railway Colony, Motibagh Nagpur. 42 boys and girls attended. I have dealt with every thing connected with space. Introduction, Use of space, Outer Space Treaty, Moon Treaty,Vision For 2020, The Danger of Weaponisation of Space, Space Debris etc. After my presentation two girls have only expressed their views. But one boy by name Ankit Singare who is in Class 8^th Standard who came along with his cousin surprised me when he came forward and in a fearless manner started telling that this sort of Workshops will enlighten the present generation, no one should think of putting weapons in space. Having been surprised I called him to my house and talked to him in detail. He told me that he belongs to a poor family, his father died and his mother works in a cloth shop and with the help of his uncle, looking after him and his younger brother. He wants to be scientist and take part in all competitions in his school including debating competitions. I want to help this boy. You can see him standing behind me in the photo. I am attaching some photos.

            - J. Narayana Rao