Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met Indian Space Research Organisation scientists at ISRO’s Telemetry Tracking & Command Network Mission Control Complex in Bengaluru to congratulate them on Chandrayaan 3’s successful landing on the Moon. The prime minister hailed ISRO scientist’s historic achievement and declared August 23 as National Space Day.

“On 23rd August, India hoisted the national flag on the Moon. From now onwards, that day will be known as National Space Day in India”, the prime minister said.

The prime minister also hailed the contribution of women scientists who were part of the Moon mission and said that the spot where Chandrayaan-3’s Lander Vikram landed will be known as ‘Shivshakti’.

“Women scientists played a key role in Chandrayaan 3. This ‘Shivkshakti’ point will inspire the upcoming generations to use science for the welfare of people. The welfare of people is our supreme commitment,” PM Modi said.

Ecstatic ISRO Scientists thanks PM Modi for the motivation

The ISRO scientists appeared ecstatic after meeting the prime minister and said that his move to declare August 23 when Chandrayaan 3 landed on the lunar surface as National Space Day was highly motivating for space scientists like them.

“He declared August 23rd as National Space Day, which is a big thing for space scientists like us. the point where Chandrayaan-3 lander landed, was declared as “Shivshakti” point. These announcements motivated all of us to rededicate ourselves to work for the country in the space domain,” said Nilesh M. Desai, the Director of Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad and one of the key architects of Chandrayaan 3.

PM’s encouragement of “Nari Shakti” inspiring

ISRO’s UR Rao Satellite Centre scientist Priyanka Mishra, who worked for all three propulsion modules, lander Vikram and rover Pragyaan, said that she was super excited to meet PM Modi.

“We felt that our achievements were being recognized,” she said, adding “PM is recognising and encouraging ‘Nari Shakti’. It is an inspiration for us.”

Sowjanya, Project Manager EMIMC Chandrayan-3, said that she was “over the top of the moon- literally and figuratively both” after meeting the prime minister.

“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 and appreciating us personally,” she added.

Need a leader like him

FB Singh, Deputy General Manager from the navigation system area and part of the organising committee for Chandrayaan-3 said that ISRO needed a leader who can inspire and PM Modi is doing that.

“He has given a lot of motivation to ISRO scientists. We require a leader like him. He has given vision. ISRO does not have any shortage of talent and what we require is a leader who can inspire. The current PM is doing it and he is giving us good guidance,” Singh was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.