Raghunath Anant Mashelkar (Marathi: रघुनाथ अनंत माशेलकर, born January 1, 1943 in Mashel, Goa), had a difficult childhood and his mother could not support his college education. Mashelkar went to school barefoot and almost gave up studies. Still he managed to be a rank holder in the Matriculation examination. During his science experiments, his principal and science teacher Mr. Bhawe was doing experiment on concentration of magnifying lens upon a paper until it burns. When it started burning he pointed Mashelkar and told, "Mashelkar, this lens is you if you concentrate on studies then one day you will reach the sky." His personal experience of ascendance from dire circumstances, improvements in India's infrastructure, and changing patterns of scientific emigration and immigration have convinced him that India is fated to become one o