India to celebrate 23rd August as National Space Day announces PM Modi; Chandrayaan 3 landing site on Moon to be known as Shiva Shakti point
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made major announcements during his address to the ISRO scientists in Bengaluru today, August 26. He has announced that the site where Vikram Lander and Rover Pragyan landed on the Lunar surface will be named as Shiva Shakti point.
Another site on the Moon where the Chandrayaan 2 lander crash landed will be known as Tiranga Point. The Prime Minister said that Shiva Shakti point will remind the world about Shiv that is devoting oneself to the welfare of mankind and Shakti that gives inherent strength to accomplish that will incline towards the good of mankind. Tiranga’s point, he added, will remind us that failure is not the end but a lesson to work hard and succeed in the future. The Prime Minister also announced that August 23rd will be celebrated as the National Space Day. It was on this day that the ISRO Chandrayaan mission made history by landing near the south pole of the moon.
The Prime Minister said that on this day our Scientific and technological progress will be celebrated. The Prime Minister also suggested that a National Hackathon must be organised by the Central and State Governments and Universities on ideas that will ensure good governance and find solutions to problems. He also announced a National Quiz programme on Chandrayaan 3 through MyGov portal. He called upon researchers to study our ancient scriptures and disclose to the world the vast knowledge that our ancestors had on astrology and astronomy. He pointed out that Arya Bhatta, Varahamihira and Bhaskaracharya had made discoveries about the round shape of Earth and that it is flowing in space on an axis. Our ancestors had predicted the dates of the eclipse and prepared Panchangs for years ahead.
In his emotional speech at the ISRO command centre in Bengaluru, the Prime Minister described Chandrayaan 3 success as not only a historical occasion when the Indian tricolour was placed on the Moon but an important development in the history of India which will inspire and evoke a sense of pride in our youngsters to dedicate their life to the future of science and technology. Narendra Modi pointed out that this achievement has sowed the seed of aspiration that will grow into a big tree of confidence to make India developed by 2047.
This glorious development has brought India from being a third world country to a position of strength. ISRO is today in the first row among the space faring nations. The Prime Minister expressed his innate desire to have the ‘darshan ’ of ISRO scientists who have made India proud and salute them and all those who have achieved this rare distinction of taking India to the Moon. He stressed that during his international deliberations, his mind was on the Chandrayaan mission and on scientists who worked hard to make it possible. He saluted their hard work, dedication, enthusiasm and perseverance. He said ISRO scientists have sounded the conch in outer space and taken India to the Moon.
The Prime Minister noted that space technology has brought transparency in governance, played a pivotal role in planning and monitoring the progress of Government projects, helped map the topography and find mineral deposits, helped weather forecast and disaster management, saved lives and prevented damage to assets during disasters like cyclone and helped fishermen through Navik navigation device.