Ludhiana, November 28
The National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Department of Ocean Development, Government of India, Goa, has invited Dr Parmjit Singh Sehra, Professor of Agrometeorology, Punjab Agricultural University, for a guest lecture on December 4.
As the centre will be launching its 23rd Indian scientific expedition to Antarctica on December 12 from Cape Town, South Africa, it wants Dr Sehra to participate in a series of briefings and lectures for the benefit of the expedition members. The agrometeorologist would give them an idea of the kinds of problems that they would be facing and the various equipment they need to take.
Dr Sehra said that he would also present before the participants various anecdotes from his odyssey to the South Pole for he was the first Indian scientist to have gone there in December, 1971, as a part of a Russian expedition for his PhD research topic ‘Structure of upper atmosphere in South Pole’. At that time, he was a student of Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad. He had recently penned the book titled ‘A visit to the South Pole and explore the Antarctic continent’ which he would be taking to the centre for the benefit of the members of the expedition.
Dr Sehra said he had met Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, President of India, during his sojourn at Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) near South Pole, where he was the test director for Russians for all rockets launched from the station. It was at the same station from where Dr Sehra conducted his experiments to know the upper atmospheric structure.
Giving some interesting anecdotes from the incidents that occurred during the expedition, Dr Sehra said he was told to get his visa, but the officers, when contacted, told him that there was no visa required for it was a no-man’s land. He then went to Russia to join the expedition, where he was told to present a certificate of his adaptability for southern climactic conditions. Since he had not got such a certificate, he said he could produce a fitness certificate from the Indian Embassy there. But the Russian scientists refused to accept it.
Adamant on going along with the expedition, he told the scientists that he could undergo all the required tests. Consensus was reached at when he signed an affidavit that he had agreed to go along with the expedition and he would owe all responsibility for any kind of loss incurred on him on the way.
Dr Sehra said while this expedition would begin from Cape Town, he had gone from South America. From there, they started trekking. The weather was so bad at times, that they had to bend down and crawl to survive. The members of the expedition carried along with them food reserves for 18 months, which included canned meat, juices, condensed milk powder, sugar and tea bags. Many unsavoury incidents occurred during their sojourn, including the one when heir food reserves got exhausted. They were left with no sugar or milk, just tea bags. For the last few weeks, they survived on these tea bags dipped in melted snow.
Talking about various problems that members of expedition usually came across, Dr Sehra said one of these was that of insomnia. He was unable to adjust to the six-month day and six-month night. At the time when he had gone, it was summer and there was no night at all. Owing to his will power, he adjusted to the changes and started getting sleep.
He said the scientific mantra said it was possible to survive for two summers and one winter season at the extreme southern end. But two winters and one summer were simply out of question, even biologically, he added. Another problem, he said, was that of socio-psycho isolation as communication with family and friends was difficult.
