New Delhi- As the nation exalted over the successful landing of ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 on the uncharted lunar south pole on Wednesday, leaders and eminent personalities hailed it as a momentous occasion for India and space exploration.
“India is now on the Moon. This is a moment to cherish forever… We are witness to the new flight of new India,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said after scientists at the Mission Operations Complex of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in Bengaluru broke into celebrations and flashed victory signs, erasing the disappointment of the failed landing of Chandrayaan-2 in 2019.
Addressing ISRO scientists virtually from Johannesburg, Modi said, “Now is the time to walk on the ‘Chandra Path’… New history has been written.”
President Droupadi Murmu termed it a “momentous occasion” and said, “I congratulate ISRO and everybody involved in the Chandrayaan-3 mission and wish them greater accomplishments ahead.”
While BJP chief J P Nadda hailed ISRO scientists and lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for Chandrayaan-3’s success, the Congress said it is a collective success of every Indian and ISRO’s achievement reflects a saga of continuity and is a testament to the vision of the country’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
Home Minister Amit Shah expressed his gratitude to ISRO scientists for their undeterred efforts to make this mission a historic success.
“This landmark achievement is not only a testament to the power of Indian genius but it also launches India’s voyage through the Amrit Kaal to emerge as a global leader in the realm of space, as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji,” Shah wrote on ‘X’.
Nadda said India is creating new feats of success under Modi’s leadership and carving a unique identity for itself and described the success of the mission as true to the mantra of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said an elated nation with 140 crore aspirations today witnessed yet another achievement in its six-decade-long space programme and the entire world is looking up to the ISRO which is a matter of special pride for all Indians.
Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said, “Congratulations to Team ISRO for today’s pioneering feat.”
“Chandrayaan3’s soft landing on the uncharted lunar South Pole is the result of decades of tremendous ingenuity and hard work by our scientific community,” Gandhi said, adding that since 1962, India’s space programme has continued to scale new heights and inspire generations of young dreamers.
Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud termed the Chandrayaan-3 landing on the lunar surface a “historic achievement” and said the ISRO team and the entire scientific community have made the nation proud.
“This will help new avenues and scientific research and discovery. Truly, this lunar landing represents a milestone in the onward march of our nation,” he said.
Union ministers, chief ministers, governors and other political leaders praised India’s scientific community and congratulated the people on the occasion.
“The prayers of crores of people and the hard work of our ISRO scientists have become successful… Today’s moment will be written in golden letters in the pages of history. Our new India is not less than anyone. Jai Hind,” Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said.
Leading scientists and space agencies from around the globe said this monumental accomplishment not only marks India’s indelible imprint on lunar exploration but also demonstrates the prowess of human collaboration and determination.
Bill Nelson, the administrator of NASA, said, “Congratulations ISRO on your successful Chandrayaan-3 lunar south pole landing! And congratulations to India on being the fourth country to successfully soft-land a spacecraft on the Moon. We’re glad to be your partner on this mission!”
European Space Agency’s Director General, Josef Aschbacher congratulated ISRO and the people of India on the occasion. “What a way to demonstrate new technologies and achieve India’s first soft landing on another celestial body. Well done, I am thoroughly impressed.”
UK Space Agency said, “History made! Congratulations to ISRO”
Dr Chrisphin Karthick, a scientist at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru, said, “The successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 is a testament to our collective progress towards space travel. It showcases the beauty of unity in diversity as we sail the cosmic seas together.”
Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan and SS Rajamouli were among several cinema personalities who were “over the moon” after Chandrayaan-3 touched down on the lunar south pole.
Quoting the lines from his popular song “Chaand Taare Tod Laaoon” from his 1997 film “Yes Boss”, Shah Rukh said the day belongs to India and ISRO.
“Congratulations to all the scientists and engineers… the whole team which has made India so proud. Chandrayaan-3 has successfully soft-landed on the moon,” tweeted the “Pathaan” star.
Referring to the popular dialogue from his 2001 film “Gadar”, actor and BJP MP Sunny Deol said, “What a proud moment.#Hindustan zindabad tha hai or rahega. A momentous feat in the history of India’s space exploration. Proud!!!” he posted on X.
Amitabh Bachchan said, “For far too long when India was referred to, it was spoken of as 3rd World Country .. and I hated it… Today I am proud to say, India is 1st world… in more ways than one.”
Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar hailed ISRO for the extraordinary achievement.
“ISRO represents the best of India. Humble, hardworking women and men, coming together, overcoming challenges, and making our tricolour fly high.” he wrote.
“India must celebrate and congratulate the Chandrayaan-2 team, which was led by Shri K Sivan, along with S Somanath’s Chandrayaan3 team. Every hard landing has lessons which take us closer to a soft landing – on the moon, and in life,” he added.
An exuberant West Bengal Chief Minister took to X, to hail Chandrayaan 3 and the country’s scientific community while her counterpart in Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, termed it a “historic day”.
Assam Chief Minister Himant Biswa Sarma, who was watching the landing at a school in Guwahati, tweeted, “Another giant leap for humanity!”
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said it was a matter of pride for all people.
People gathered in educational institutions, offices, city squares and religious places to watch the ISRO live telecast of Chandrayaan-3’s final descent to the uncharted surface of the lunar south pole.
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