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Dr AR Lakshmanan's Presidential Address

I am indeed privileged to preside over this very pleasant function this evening and to introduce my good old friend Professor P. Chandra Sekharan and to speak about his book “The First Human Bomb- The Untold Story of the Rajiv Gandhi Assassination. I fondly recollect my close association with Professor Chandra Sekharan for almost four decades. Our friendship has begun at the Madras YMCA when he was its President and from that time onwards, my thirst for understanding forensic sciences and his readiness to share his knowledge and experience in that specialty made our friendship and mutual admiration for each other to grow like a waxing moon. I was watching with amazement all his professional attainments, solving cases with skill-extraordinary and acumen-abundance, academic achievements, administrative abilities, research productivities, social activities, international ramifications, prolific writing both in English and Tamil, being humane in all human activities and what not. As Professor Chandra Sekharan himself had caricatured me in his book as a ‘catalyst’ in his inimitable scientific language, I am indeed proud to have broken his lethargy and brought to light such a wonderful gift from this internationally renowned scientist,

Hailing from Chidambaram the abode of Lord Shiva in the posture of His Cosmic Dance, Prof. Chandra Sekharan, as a young student, found his way to Annamalai University where his keen interest in matters scientific brought him to the attention of the professors. He was also the most popular student of the university having been elected as the student president, besides during previous years as Secretary of Physics Society, Social Service League and most importantly the secretary of English Association and English Club.

After serving for a short stint as Head of Physics and Chemistry in Tamil Nadu Polytechnic Madurai, he joined the Medical Service as a medical physicist, a position which landed him finally in the Forensic Sciences Department. The great interest and enthusiasm with which he served in that department for more than three decades made his ‘name and Forensic Science’ synonymous. He gave a new definition for forensic science and coined the Tamil name “Thadaya Ariviyal” to denote Forensic Science . The Government of Tamil Nadu issued a government order acknowledging the terminology created by him. His other monumental achievement was getting the Tamil Nadu Forensic Sciences Department affiliated to the University of Madras as a single faculty college to offer post graduate education and research in Forensic Sciences and by virtue of the same he served as member of the Senate and Syndicate of the University for many years.

I cannot resist but referring how efficiently and effectively Professor Chandra Sekharan tackled the question suddenly shot at him by His Lordship Justice Mr. Kennedy, in the Royal High Court London in the famous Pathur Nataraja Case is indeed astounding. The judge looking at the two ‘look-alike’ idols, Sivakami and Thani Amman, Chandra Sekharan paraded before him, wanted know as to which one is actually Sivakami, the consort of Nataraja. Chandra Sekharan instantly remembered the traditional knowledge in Intellectual Property Rights [IPR], he learnt from his sculptor –grandfather, Manickam Pillai and identified Sivakami from the subtle structural difference exhibited on the tassels in both the otherwise ‘look-alike’ idols, The judge came down from the podium to notice the said difference and satisfied himself. In addition to his IPR evidence, his analysis of termite galleries present on the Nataraja idol seized by Scotland Yard in London as well as on the remaining idols of Pathur temple formed crucial scientific evidence in winning the case for India. After this case, Chandra Sekharan continued his research to evolve a scientific method to index the priceless antique bronzes and jewelry which is now followed in museums all over the world. He is the only Forensic Scientist from India to be cited as Government witnesses in London, Singapore and Colombo Courts.

His flair for research made him unique to become approved research guide simultaneously in four Universities. Professor Chandra Sekharan after superannuation in 1993 was invited by the Anna University, Chennai to be UGC Professor and he inducted Forensic Engineering Course, a first of its kind in India. In 1994, he was awarded UGC Emeritus Fellowship in the University of Madras. In 1996 he was invited by the National Law School of India University, Bangalore to be its first Professor of Forensic Sciences.

I had therefore no hesitation, in my capacity as Chancellor of the National Law University, Jodhpur to invite him as Professor-Director of the School of Sciences and Forensic Sciences and adorned him with Pro Vice- Chancellorship. I had profusely referred him in many of my speeches and writings and pleaded for establishing a separate Forensic University and appointing Professor Chandra Sekharan as its Vice-Chancellor.

I was delighted to read the manuscripts of Prof Dr Chandra Sekharan’s book on “The First Human Bomb” which gave a firsthand knowledge about the crucial scientific investigation conducted by Professor Chandra Sekharan before the Special Investigation Team of the Central Bureau of Investigation came into the picture. I found real pleasure in writing a foreword to this monumental work.

Now once again I had to read the book in its printed form with much more enthusiasm in order to present its salient features before you.

The entire book is written in a story telling format thus lessoning the burden of scientific monotony that usually engulfs books of this nature. The book also gives a vivid pictorialization of the travails experienced by the author when he was handling the case. The author’s description about the press meet organized by the Chief Secretary is a most exhilarating anecdote. When the author says, “I rushed to the secretariat the next day like a school boy who is well prepared and is ready to sit for his examination” we also rush along with him. When the author was forbidden from speaking to the pressmen, we also undergo the agony experienced by the author. The language employed by the author is so powerful. There are many such anecdotes throughout the book. The titles he has given to the chapters preceded by the definite article “THE” shows the mastery of his language. The chapters, ‘embargo’ and ‘confrontation’ make an interesting read bringing out the vagaries of mundane administrative gimmicks and exposing the still present colonial flavor even after six decades of independence.

How the author has solved the dispute whether the explosive pack was loaded on the back or front of the assassin was very well portrayed. The passages are explained with full of humor and scientific niceties. The author gives a detailed description about how he faced the confrontation from his own expert community who raised doubts about the type of explosive used in the improvised explosive device and how he ensured the presence of all the doubting Thomas’s in his laboratory and conducted experiments to prove his point.

The prologue and epilogue he has written for the book are true epical expositions. Thoughtfully, he has added many illustrations making it more conducive for the readers to grasp the technical passages. Last but not the least, his dealing with the topics of investigation and trial proves his scholarly understanding and pursuit of police and law topics. Of course he himself was a student of law and a teacher for law students as well. While he is fully appreciative of the Special Investigation Team with which he was associated in examining the Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case, his outright condemnation of the techniques, such as narcoanalysis followed in contemporary police investigation is thought provoking. I know that Professor Chandra Sekharan is passionately crusading against the pseudo scientific truth detecting techniques used by investigating police in India in recent years. It is a moot point; the law commission also will take cognizance of and make a thorough examination and covey its views to the appropriate forum.

As I mentioned in my Foreword I reiterate that this wonderful creation is a gift not only to the fraternity of police-scientist-judiciary combine, but to the entire humanity. I have no hesitation in saying that the book will receive worldwide appreciation soon. I wish the Publisher good luck. I wish the author further fame and name.