Everything to know about Nambi Narayanan from 'Rocketry'
R Madhavan's directorial debut Rocketry: The Nambi Effect was released last Friday. The biopic narrated the events in the life of Nambi Narayanan, an 80-year-old ex-ISRO scientist who was also ensnared as the main accused in an alleged espionage case. Madhavan's film was lauded for the portrayal of the maverick scientist, but how much do we know about the man behind the scenes?
Why does this story matter?
Narayanan's alleged espionage case spanning 27 years began back in October 1994 when a woman named Mariam Rasheeda from the Maldives was arrested in Kerala. Rasheeda was arrested after she had overstayed in India post her visa's expiry. The case snowballed into a massive scandal that consumed seven people, including the ex-ISRO scientist who was claimed to be part of a major spy racket.
Challenges faced by Narayanan during his over-stretched case
Narayanan and the others were acquitted by a CBI court in May 1996, but sadly, that didn't mark the end of the over-stretched legal battle. The Kerala government had called for a re-investigation soon after the acquittal which was challenged by the scientist and eventually the case dragged on for a few more years until the Supreme Court intervened in 1998.
In 2021, Narayanan was proved to be victim of conspiracy
After decades of defamation, the apex court allegedly offered Narayanan Rs. 50L as compensation in September 2018 for all the harassment and mental cruelty. The Supreme Court had also ordered a probe into the Kerala Police's involvement and handling of the case. In April 2021, a report was published dismissing Narayanan's accusations and confirming that the case was part of a huge conspiracy.
Narayanan's achievements, accolades
During his early years, Narayanan had turned down a high-paying NASA job to focus on ISRO and introduced the concept of liquid propellant motors. His team developed the Vikas engine that launched India's first PSLV. Although Narayanan was vilified by the public, he emerged as a victim of a major conspiracy and was also felicitated with the Padma Bhushan in 2019.
