BENGALURU: With the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, India will emerge as a global leader in space technology, and giant strides in the field will help the country emerge as a modern, developed nation by 2047, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Saturday.
The Prime Minister was addressing the gathering of scientists at the Command Centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in Bengaluru in a programme organized against the backdrop of the Chandrayaan-3 mission's success. He said that August 23 will be celebrated as National Space Day to mark Chandrayaan-3's landing on the Moon. PM Modi also announced that the touchdown spot of the Vikram lander on the lunar surface would from now on be known as the 'Shiv Shakti' point, while the Chandrayaan-2 lunar landing point will be called the 'Tiranga' point.
"You have the people's trust and blessings of Mother Earth to carry out this mission," he said, referring to the scientists of the national space agency.
"The youth are ready for the challenge. In the last four years, there have been four start-ups in the field of space science. Presently, the number has gone up to 150."
The space industry has expanded from 1 billion dollars to 16 billion dollars. The government has taken serious note of this and wants to reform and invest in space science. The spirit of science and innovation in this country was trampled on by slavery. This spirit needs to be unleashed, and the world should know the capabilities of India, PM Modi underlined.
The youth should explore the depths of the sea and reach the sky and beyond to the solar system. Make next-generation computers focus on genetic engineering; new windows of opportunity have opened in India, he said.
Underlining that the Chandrayaan-3 mission is not only India's success but that of humanity, the PM said, "Our mission will be explored by all countries. It will help face the challenges of the earth. Our Pragyaan rover is leaving its traces on the moon. The pictures taken on the moon are wonderful. For the first time in the history of the world since the earth evolved, humans are seeing those pictures. India has done the job. You (ISRO scientists) have done the job. The whole world believes in the Indian scientific spirit, technology, and capabilities of scientific temperament, PM Modi stated.
Expressing his longingness to meet the scientists after the successful landing on the Moon, he said that this rare happiness fills the body and soul by such events. "Though I was in South Africa and Greece, my mind and heart were with you (ISRO scientists). As soon as I set foot in India, I wanted to see you all and salute your work," PM Modi stated.
"Salute your hard work, courage, commitment, and spirit of life. This is not an ordinary success. India has sounded the bugle of its capacity in the world of space. India is on the Moon. We have our national pride placed on the Moon. We are there where there is no one. We have done what's not been done before. This is new India. "Naya Bharat naya sochta hai, naya tareeka sochta hai," he said.
The dark zone of the moon, where the successful landing was done, has given a ray of hope to the world. In the 21st century, India will provide solutions to the problems of the world.
He described the movement of celebration at ISRO moments after the success of the mission as "eternal and inspirational".
Making a special mention of women scientists' contributions, Prime Minister Modi said, "From the creation of the earth to destruction, the woman is behind them, and she is the source of power. We derive power from our mothers and sisters (IANS)
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