Atharv had dismissed his father’s request. He had accepted an offer to study at London University, famous for producing eminent economists of a Marxist bent, for a postgraduate course in law. Srinivas had not been pleased at the news of his eldest fleeing to the ‘land of half-communists’, as he described the UK, with its strong tradition of liberal and left-of-centre politics.

Atharv doted on Vishu and was impressed with his ‘ideas’. Atharv was the only one in the family who knew what went on in Vishu’s life.

The drone that Vishu had made three months ago would be representing Tamil Nadu at the National School Science Congress in Delhi. But he was unlikely to attend as he was committed to delivering a lecture on the topic ‘Does science challenge the Hindu faith?’ in Pune the same day. He would be presenting his views at a gathering that would include learned men from Hindu temples and organizations from across the country.

Vishu was proud of his drone nonetheless. He had researched the science and engineering that went into its making for eighteen months. The battery-operated drone could soar to a height of 1,000 feet, had a speed of 100 kilometres per hour and could stay airborne for at least eight hours. He had already applied for a patent certification from the state authorities for the drone and planned to meet potential investors for its commercial production.

Vishu had big plans for the drone, whose prototype he had named ‘Antariksha 1’, but there was so much more to do before it took off. Batteries, for instance. He had flown the prototype with special lithium batteries that his friend Joseph had procured from Russia. Joseph’s uncle, Rex, was doing a course in medicine at Moscow University and had purchased the batteries on his nephew’s request. The batteries had run out and Vishu had ordered another set via his friend.

At 8 a.m. on 6 November 1999, Vishu was literally running, with Atharv in tow, to Joseph’s house, which was about two kilometres away from his cottage. The drone had to be fitted with the fresh batteries that Joseph had helped procure before it was given to the vice principal of his school by noon that day. The vice principal would take the drone later that night to Delhi for the science congress.

17. AN AMBUSH

17

AN AMBUSH

‘Anna, run fast, we have to reach Joseph’s house before he and his family leave for their picnic,’ Vishu said sharply.

Their neighbourhood, Annamalai Nagar, was tightly packed with cottages, row houses, villas and multi-storeyed buildings. The main road to Joseph’s house was flooded due to the incessant rain since the previous day, so the brothers took a short cut.