Number of words: 183

Gradually, I became aware of the difference between science and technology, between research and development. Science is inherently open ended and exploratory. Development is a closed loop. Mistakes are imperative in development and are made every day to but each mistake is used for modification, upgradation or betterment. Probably the creator created engineers to make scientists achieve more. For each time scientists come up with a thoroughly researched and fully comprehended solution, engineers show them yet another lumineu, yet one more possibility. I cautioned my team against becoming scientists. Science is a passion – a never-ending voyage into promises and possibilities. We had only limited time and limited funds. Our making the SLV depended upon our awareness of our own limits. I preferred existing workable solutions which would be the best options. Nothing that is new comes into time bound projects without its own problems. In my opinion, a project leader should always work with proven technologies in most of the systems as far as possible and experiment only from multiple resources.

Excerpted from pages 79-80 of ‘Wings of Fire’ by APJ Abdul Kalam