I know nothing about nano technology.  However, as a layman, I understand that at the nano level, materials behave differently when slight changes in molecules are brought about, even without changing their chemical properties. 

 This material behaviour is not immaterial, as lots of techno-innovations and business propositions can be spun out of it.  And one of the worldwide pioneers in this field is our own Ajayan Pulickel, who studied in Loyola as our senior.

 Ajayan has been experimenting with Carbon nano tubes. And his team is credited with creating the darkest substance known to man.  This charcoal of a fact may be insignificant to him, as I have heard him declare when someone introduced him at the beginning of an invited lecture at NIT, Calicut sometime back.

 However, perhaps it is only poetic justice that a representative of the ancient civilization that alchemized the dark Iron Pillar at Delhi should mould this black matter too.  A dark man's destiny indeed.

 In order to understand the concept of nano-technology, a parallel I draw upon is the haiku-brief poems of Malayalam poet Kunhunni, who with a slight change of few letters of the alphabet would unravel unexpected meanings from common words.  And here is one of his longer poems which may have significance in the light of Ajayan's black-and-white achievements:

 Thinking of Carbon I am suddenly reminded that diamond is a form of this element. And one of the most precious specimens of it from India, Kohinoor, is no longer in our possession.  Perhaps that too may be immaterial.  However, I wish and pray that one day Ajayan would bring the Kohinoor among scientific accolades to this land.

 As nano technology is about making subtle changes at the molecular level, may I here venture to make a slight change at the level of letters to restate the title of this article:

 Ajayan Pulickel: A jayant of nano technology.