ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan, at the third National Space Day celebrations in Ahmedabad, recalled India's journey from using bicycles for rocket parts to becoming a major space power, crediting the collective effort and Chandrayaan-3's success.
The third National Space Day celebrations were held in Ahmedabad on Sunday, with Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Gujarat Cabinet Minister Arjun Modhwadia, ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan and IN-SPACe Chairman Dr Pawan Goenka among those attending the event.
From Humble Beginnings to a Space Power
Addressing the celebrations, ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan recalled the humble beginnings of India's space programme and highlighted the country's transformation into a major space power. "When we started the country's space programme, we moved rocket parts using old bicycles. We did not have any other vehicles. From that humble beginning, today we have reached the number one position in nine areas," Narayanan said.
He described the achievement as the result of collective efforts by India's space community, academia and industrial partners. "This is an accomplishment of the entire Indian space community, academia, and industrial partners who have contributed," he said.
Chandrayaan-3: A Source of Inspiration
Narayanan also highlighted the achievements of Chandrayaan-3, India's third lunar exploration mission, which successfully achieved a soft landing near the Moon's south polar region in August 2023. "Chandrayaan-3 achieved a soft landing near the south pole of the Moon. Today, it is not only about the soft landing; we have also obtained a wealth of scientific data," the ISRO chief said.
He mentioned the scientific data generated by the mission had been made available to researchers globally, enabling the wider scientific community to study and analyse the findings. "One of the major achievements of Chandrayaan-3 was that it inspired 140 crore Indians across the globe," Narayanan said, describing the mission's ability to inspire people as one of its major achievements.
He also credited the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the country's progress in the space sector and said Chandrayaan-3 had emerged as a source of inspiration for Indians across the world.
Commemorating a Historic Achievement
The third National Space Day is being observed to commemorate India's historic Chandrayaan-3 achievement. On August 23, 2023, the Vikram lander successfully touched down on the lunar surface, making India the first country to achieve a soft landing near the Moon's south polar region.
The mission also deployed the Pragyan rover, which carried out scientific experiments on the lunar surface and transmitted valuable data. National Space Day celebrations across the country are aimed at highlighting India's achievements in space exploration while encouraging greater interest among young people in science, technology, research and innovation.
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