Vikram Sarabhai: The first President of India

The world witnessed a man who was thought of as dead, come into the upper house of the third nuclear power of the world, and stand for the position of the President. At just the meagre age of 32, the youngest person in the parliament of the country. 

"Good morning everyone. I will introduce myself to the Rajya Sabha, and by extension to the whole country, and the world.

I was previously a part of our nuclear program, handling the basic physics. And I am currently the chairman of ISRO, which will need some time to be properly established.

I would have not run for this position. Scientists, shouldn't play politics. That is my view.

But Satyankar ji, who doesn't call himself a scientist because he only gives out theories without the calculations and how he arrived at them, recommended me for this position.

'The older ones have done their job to get freedom. And it's the young ones job to now lead the country with open mindedness that us oldies don't have, but they also shouldn't be too hot blooded.

We are no longer fighting against the government. Now, we are fighting against poverty and starvation of poor bodies, mind, and soul. The once scientific mind of India that gave the world practically the whole mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and physics is now plagued with useless thoughts of proving one religion to be superior to other, fighting against each other now that the common enemy is gone.

What we need isn't a common enemy to unite us again. But a common hope. A hope, that will occupy the minds of the kids. A hope that makes us less hard headed in our beliefs, that makes us more open-minded in our and other's mistakes. 

Vikram ji, let's take a photo of our earth from the moon and see how the aliens millions of years after our planet is swallowed by the sun will see us. 

Now that a poor country like India has gotten the bomb, the nuclear arms race will only worsen. Instead, let the world have a space exploration race. 

And we need scientists like you to remove our inferiority complex and the unscientific system of education that was forced upon us.'

That's what he said when I was having second thoughts on this matter. Of becoming the President. 

But, my view is that scientists shouldn't play politics, having firsthand experience of living in an environment where different views, ideologies, and not willing to accept that people can be different yet still be good, has delayed progress. And scientists are some of the most open-minded people.

So, I can't even imagine how much politics is played in the people's mind whose job is literally playing politics.

But, what if, instead of being divided in politics, we become united in nation building?

With this thought, I, Vikram Sarabhai, am running for the position of the President with my full heart devoted to the cause.

As a candidate, I promise to help the country develop a scientific approach to things, promoting unity even with huge differences in beliefs, promoting education, promoting equality, and give people the hope for a better future.

Thank you."

He wasn't really a politician who could give long speeches. He just spoke his mind, his goal, and sat down.

The voting began across all legislative bodies of the country, and results came out.

Unsurprisingly, he became the first President of India.