Harsh K. Gupta

This book captures the essence of one of the most remarkable journeys of a professional who prevailed over numerous challenges and adverse situations that appeared before him from nowhere and how he emerged victorious to be hailed at a global forum of the American Geophysical Union in 2008. The author reflects upon the circumstances and times in post-independent India that threw him out of the comforts of a well-to-do family into the real world. He traces back his entry into the field of earthquake science and dwells at length upon the scope and freedom it offered for innovative thinking in the field with limitless opportunities.

Mishaps and accidents paved the way to remarkable discoveries and achievements including the creation of the world record for establishing and populating India’s first permanent base station in Antarctica in a record time of one Antarctic summer despite having a near-fatal helicopter crash on 4th day after reaching Antarctica. Stressing the need to live safely with earthquakes as their short-term prediction is not a possibility yet, the author advocates a two-prong strategy of directly looking into the earthquake source region deep inside the earth and developing an earthquake-resilient society, simultaneously. He cites the success story of the Indian Tsunami Early Warning System that is operational in the Indian Ocean, today. The book inspires young professionals with a flair for challenges and a burning desire to achieve results at any cost.

This book provides important information in a nutshell about artificial water reservoir triggered earthquakes, India’s building of the Dakshin Gangotri all-weather station in Antarctica, Indian Ocean Tsunami warning set-up, Low-Temperature Thermal Desalination, etc. The main objective of the book is to inspire a generation of young minds through a narration of scientific achievements that did not come easily to him. The aim is to tell them the difference between a reaction and a response to a given situation, the former being impulsive and irrational and the latter responsible and rational.