“Thou shalt see my scars and know that I had my wounds and also my healing” were Rabindranath Tagore’s pearls of wisdom.Yet,if one yearns to enter China’s manned space program,any scar on the aspirant having stars or planets in his eyes would be grounds of instant elimination.Any scar acquired form sharp edged unidentified flying object from the kitchen or from the cutting edge of a surgeon’s scalpel.

The recruiters not only frown on scars and runny noses but also screen the aspirant’s medical history for three generations.If one’s paternal grandma or maternal grandpa had postural vertigo ,it is feared the bequeathed genes might play havoc with his insides while levitating a in zero gravity like a pair of jeans in a washing machine.And so it might help if his robust ,apple cheeked pa ,grandpa,grandma and great grandma had all trooped in chirpily with no walking sticks to chaperon him to the selection center.Bad breath that grants one privacy by keeping off people at arm’s length is the next no-no.China may not want any taveller from any other planet or galaxy to swoon when their space envoy opens his mouth to greet him during a serendipitous rendezvous.But of all the criteria mentioned here that certify an applicant qualified to board the space vehicle,the one that speaks volumes of China’s chivalry is its nod for women empowerment.the aspirant who wants to go to outer space should get the unequivocal assent from his wife.Otherwise he will be ejected from the programme.The countdown for the launch may be approaching zero,but if she comes running waving her arms shouting ,”Hey Lee,don’t go baby.” ,the take off may be averted......!!!