Code Name : PROJECT-SURD

          In continuation to their research work, scientists of NASA, US decided to carry out further studies on the effects of zero gravity on human body and brain. They wanted to send an Asian mathematician to the space keeping in view the unexplored areas. In search of a suitable person they zeroed in on the map of India and finally on Jullundhar, Punjab.

         A Punjabi mathematician named Prof. Banta Singh was tracked down with professional precision, contacted, and offered the job. He was game for the project. 

As per practices and conventions, a code name for the mission was to be given. It was named ‘Project Surd’; surd being the abbreviation of Sardar which was sometimes spelt as Surdar or Sirdar in some places. Prof. Singh was launched into space and put into celestial orbit. The spacecraft moved around the earth for a few weeks in a geo-synchronized orbit; and all the requisite data were recorded as per scheduled programmed. In due course the space-ship returned to the earth. The mission ‘Project Surd’ was accomplished with absolute success and with zero error. Prof. Singh was paid the agreed fee,incentive and sent back to India where he was received with lot of fanfare.

        When Prof. Singh reached Jullundhar, his friend Sardar Santa Singh asked him about his experience in space. Prof. Banta Singh said,

       ” Money, food and drinks served were excellent. To pass the leisure time I regularly listened to the music of Daler Mehndi on Digital Versatile Disc player. However, I could not dance Bhangra to his tunes as I would have liked, since I was floating in a Zero Gravity most of the times.” After a pause he said again,” 

       "Every thing was OK, except for one. I found it intriguing, as to why the mission was called ‘Project Surd’. You know, in mathematics, Surd is an irrational expression containing the root of an irrational number that can never be exactly expressed, like square root of 3. I personally did not find the code name apt, as I was very rational while following their instructions in connections with the experiments."

       "Again, taking into consideration linguistics, Surd refers to voiceless sound in speech. As far as I was concerned, I was vociferous whenever I was in a Zero Gravity state, I always sang and shouted very loudly Balle! Balle! and  हुआँ-हूँ , हुआँ-हूँ. Hence, I felt; Code name was not at all appropriate.”   

      “अरे छड्ड यारा ! की फर्क पैंदा ?उनलोगों ने एक सरदारजी को ऊपर प्रोजेक्ट करना था इसीलिए उन्होंने नाम “प्रोजेक्ट सर्ड” रखा था, जो बिलकुल सही है” friend Santa Singh explained coolly. 

[Note: It is heard through the office grapevine of the science fraternity that ISRO is also planning to send Prof. Banta Singh into outer space with the help of trusted PSLV i.e. Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle to study BLACKHOLE !]