Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned from Greece on Friday early morning and paid a visit to the Indian Space Research Organisation’s Telemetry, Tracking and Command Centre (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru, Karnataka to meet the team behind Chandrayaan-3’s success in person. ISRO chairman S Somanath briefed PM Modi on the developments of Chandrayaan 3 upon his arrival in Bengaluru. During his visit, PM Modi hugged ISRO chairman S Somanath, met with other scientists and also clicked pictures with the team. PM also held a road show in Bengaluru ahead of his scheduled meet and greet with the ISRO team.
Earlier, the Prime Minister had called up ISRO chairman S Somanath from South Africa’s Johannesburg to congratulate him on Chandrayaan-3’s successful landing on moon and had told him that he would soon visit them in Bengaluru to greet the entire team in person.
In his address to the ISRO scientists who made the mission a ‘success’, PM Modi named the site where Chandrayaan’s Vikram lander made a touch down on the lunar surface as ‘Shivashakti Point’. “It is a convention to name the spot of the touchdown on the moon. And India too has now decided to name the point where Vikram lander touched down. That point will now be known as ‘Shiv Shakti Point’,” PM Modi said. PM further commented, “This is India, which thinks innovatively and uniquely. This is the India which goes to dark zones and illuminates the world by spreading light.”
Addressing the ISRO scientists, the PM said, “What you all have achieved is one of the most inspiring moments of this era. After this feat, the entire world has understood India’s mettle in the field of science and technology.”
Prime Minister Modi, especially interacted with the women scientists of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), who were involved in the ‘Chandrayaan-3’ project, commending the key role that they played in the successful culmination of India’s maiden lunar landing mission. “Women scientists played a key role in the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission. The ‘Shivashakti’ point will inspire future generations to take up science in earnest and use it for the welfare of people. People’s welfare remains our supreme commitment,” PM Modi said to applause from the audience. “The ‘Shakti’ in the name ‘Shiv Shakti’ comes from the hard work, inspiration and empowerment of the women scientists,”, he added.
Additionally, the site where Chandrayaan-2 crash landed in 2019 has been declared as ‘Tiranga Point’ by PM Modi. “India has decided to also name the point where Chandrayaan-2’s Vikram lander crash-landed. India had decided not to name that point at that time as it did not feel right.
But today, when the Chandrayaan-3 mission successfully landed on the Moon, the moment is right to dedicate a name to the point where Chandrayaan-2 left its mark. Since we now have “Har Ghar Tiranga” and the Tiranga is even there on the Moon, it is only apt to name the point ‘Tiranga Point’ – India’s first contact with the surface of the Moon. This point will teach us that no failure is final and if there’s desire then one gets success.”, PM Modi announced in his speech.
Marking the third announcement of his speech, the PM said that the date of Chandrayaan-3 landing – August 23 – will be celebrated as National Space Day. “It will be a day of celebrating science and technology and will inspire generations to come,” PM mentioned.
ISRO chief S Somanath reacted to PM’s gesture to congratulate Chandrayaan 3 team and said “Our Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi has come to our control center today to congratulate each one of us… He was emotional about this historic event… We are very happy to know the naming of the sites ‘Tiranga’ and ‘Shiv Shakti’.”
India’s Chandrayaan-3 lander Vikram successfully touched down on the lunar surface on August 23. The lander is carrying six scientific payloads, including the indigenously made Pragyan rover which will collect data over 14 days on Earth’s nearest celestial neighbour. Attending virtually during the lander module’s touch down, PM Modi hailed the historic soft landing, proclaiming ‘India is now on the moon’ and that it is the ‘dawn of new India’. The historic achievement by ISRO placed India among top four nations to carry out a soft landing on the lunar surface, and the first nation to reach near the Moon’s unexplored south pole.
PM Modi got emotional during his speech
The Prime Minister got emotional as tears of joy rolled down his eyes while addressing the ISRO scientists involved in the successful mission to the Moon. “Today. I’m feeling a different level of happiness….this time, I was so restles…I was in South Africa but my mind was with you. I wanted to meet you as soon as possible and salute you…salute your efforts,” PM Modi said with folded hands at ISRO’s Telemetry Tracking and Command Network Centre.
Scientists applaud PM Modi’s motivational speech
“We are proud & PM Modi gave a highly inspirational speech…,” said Muthu Selvi, a senior scientist from the propulsion team of Chandrayaan-3 on PM Modi’s visit to ISRO.
“Over the top of the moon- literally & figuratively both. We are very happy that PM Modi has addressed us. It is a historic event…We just want to thank the Prime Minister for coming & appreciating us personally…,” said Sowjanya, Project Manager EMIMC Chandrayan-3 on PM’s ISRO visit.
“I am very happy to be a part of this mission and very excited that we have successfully completed this mission”, says Nithya Bharti, junior-engineer & ISRO scientist on the success of ‘Chandrayaan-3.
Ex-ISRO chief also commended the success
As Chandrayaan-3 achieved a soft landing on the South Pole of the moon, making India the first country to reach that particular area, former ISRO chief K Sivan applauded the success and said that it is sweet news, for which they have been waiting for the last four years. “We are really excited to see this grand success. For this, we have been waiting for the last four years. This success is sweet news for us and for the entire nation,” K Sivan stated.
“Last time after the landing process, we had gone through the data…Based on that, some corrective measures were taken. Not only that, we did something more than what we corrected. Wherever the margins are less, we enhanced those margins…Based on the lessons we learnt from Chandrayaan 2, the system is going with more ruggedness…” the ex-ISRO chief told the media.
Sivan was the ISRO chief at the time of the Chandrayaan-2 mission, launched in 2019.
ISRO scientists gear up for the upcoming missions
Arthy Sen, ISRO scientist and engineer said, “Chandrayaan-3 is the biggest inspiration for Gaganyaan, we’re ready…our works are going on for Gaganyaan. Mark 3 is all set…Gaganyaan results can be seen soon…we need to make Mark 3 more powerful and process is on…almost all the systems are developed…we want everyone’s support for Gaganyaan also.”
Concurrently, Aditya-L1, India’s first space observatory for solar research, is getting ready for launch at the country’s main spaceport in Sriharikota, the Indian Space Research Organisation told reporters at its satellite command centre this week, as scientists and crew celebrated the moon mission’s success.
Chandrayaan-3’s success a major boost to Make in India scheme
PM Modi mentioned that the scientists had taken the Make In India initiative to the Moon, referring to the boost in indigenous productions due to Chandrayaan 3’s success.The success of the mission is likely to boost the Central government’s ambitious ‘Make in India’ programme by spurring investments in private space launches and related satellite-based businesses, according to experts.
Chandrayaan-3 makes and breaks several records
While India made history with the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the south pole of the Moon on Wednesday, ISRO created another record on its YouTube channel during the live streaming of the landmark event. With over 8 million concurrent viewers, the touchdown of Chandrayaan-3’s lander module became the most-watched event on YouTube during its live streaming. It even left behind the concurrent viewership of the football match between Brazil and South Korea during the World Cup 2022 quarterfinals, which had garnered 6.1 million views.
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