Cannon used by Tippu Sultan’s forces at the battle of Seringapatam 1799 – Wikimedia commons
Srirangapatna:
Saluting the vision of the father of modern missile technology, Tipu Sultan, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) plans to set up India’s first archaeological rocket centre at his rocket court in Srirangapatna from where he fired the world’s first war rocket during the Anglo-Mysore battle.
DRDO Chief Controller (R&D), Dr W. Selvamurthy, who visited the rocket court on Friday with other top defence scientists, was shocked to see its condition. A portion of the front wall has collapsed and illegal constructions have cropped up on all sides.
Dr Selvamurthy said, “It’s really sad and appalling. The matter is of a great concern. The place which gave birth to the basics of rocket technology can’t be treated this way. I will immediately write to the state Chief Secretary, the Archaeological Survey of India and the state Department of Archaeology and Museums to restore and convert the monument into an archaeological centre of great importance.”
He said that in the 16th century, the country’s core competence in rocket and missile technology was superior to rest of the world. The DRDO proposes to use the space to showcase India’s technological advancements. The weaponry of Mysore under Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan was formidable and quite ahead of its time, he noted.
“We could have a life-size prototype of BrahMos, and models of a wide-range of missiles that India has developed like Prithvi, Agni and ballistic missiles, besides an original piece of Tipu’s rocket at the archaeological rocket centre we are proposing,” he added.
Meanwhile, the ASI and the state archaeological department continue to pass the buck on the conditon of the rocket court. While ASI representative, Satish Kumar says the department is responsible for the upkeep of the moument, Mr. Gopal, director of the state department, contends it is the ASI’s job to restore it.
source: http://www.DeccanChronicle.com / Home> News> Current Affairs / by S. v. Krishna Chaitanya / December 29th, 2012