Uniqueness

I have taken a course in Electric Propulsion this semester. My instructor, Prof. Burton, has approximately 30 years of experience in this area. He has even visited Russia (I think) during the good-old USSR days when exchange of material and technology was permitted.

Today during our class, he pulls out this sheet of paper with a picture of an Ion Thruster. While he was showing it to the class, I noticed that the paper was in Russian. I immediately asked him. He didn't know who had asked the question so he said, "Yes, it's in Russian. Does anybody know to read Russian?" That was my cue. He handed the paper to me and told me to translate. I started roughly translating most of it. He then interrupted me and told me to read just the title. It read "Electric Rocket Thruster", roughly, and it had a picture of it.

It is times like these when you feel unique. One of a kind. Like you know something that nobody else does. Like people will listen to what you have to say, and trust your word. That's the power a parent has, a teacher has. That's the power I wish politicians in India could have. Maybe once upon a time they did.

The first thing I did when I got home was checked whether what I had told them was right. I started hoping that I didn't create some techno-babble bullshit because I had a hunch. Fortunately, it was right. I realized that it was right all along. It couldn't have been anything else.

Be it the simplest of things, when you pass on knowledge or information to others from the top of the pyramid, you better be right, or at least correct the error as soon as possible.

My Russian Language Certificate (which I haven't got yet) means much more to me suddenly. Uniqueness is present in everyone of us. You will know when unleashed at the opportuned moment.