Modi lauds ISRO scientists, says next stop Sun, Venus

India is now on the Moon and the success of the lunar mission has sounded the bugle for the emergence of a developed nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday as Chandrayaan-3 landed successfully on the lunar surface.

"We are witness to the new flight of new India. A new history has been written," Modi said while addressing ISRO scientists virtually from Johannesburg, and described the Chandrayaan-3 landing on the Moon as the "first light of 'Amrit Kaal' and the 'Amrit Varsha' of success".

"This is a moment to cherish forever," Modi said, noting that India has reached the south pole of the Moon where no country has ventured so far and congratulated scientists of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on the historic feat.

Invoking India's G20 presidency, Modi said the success of India's moon mission was not it alone but that of the entire humanity.

"India's successful Moon mission is not India's alone. This is a year in which the world is witnessing India's G20 presidency. Our approach of ’One Earth, One Family, One Future' is resonating across the globe. This human-centric approach that we represent has been welcomed universally. Our Moon mission is also based on the same human-centric approach. Therefore, this success belongs to all of humanity," he said.

With the successful landing on the Moon, India has become the fourth country to master the technology of soft-landing on the lunar surface after the US, China and the erstwhile Soviet Union. But no country has ever landed a rover on the treacherous south pole that scientists believe could hold important reserves of frozen water and precious elements.

"India is proving again and again that the sky is not the limit," Modi said, adding that ISRO already has set to launch a mission to the Sun ’Aditya-L1' and was planning to explore planet Venus.

Immediately after the successful soft landing of Vikram lander on the moon, the prime minister called ISRO chairman S Somanath to congratulate the space agency's scientists and said he would soon extend greetings to them in person.

Sources said Modi may visit ISRO on August 26 after his return from Greece.

"India is now on the Moon and now is the time to walk on the 'Chandra Path' of victory," the prime minister said.

"India has reached the south pole of the Moon where no country in the world has reached to date. We have achieved this with the dedication and talent of our scientists. This is a moment of the capability of the 140 crore heartbeats and the confidence of new energy of India," he said.

"This day signifies how victory is achieved from the lessons of defeat," the prime minister said in an apparent reference to the partial success of the Chandrayaan-2 mission in 2019.

Chandrayaan-3's landing on the Moon is a historic moment and sounds the bugle for a developed India, Modi said.

Modi, who is in the South African city to attend the five-nation BRICS Summit, waved the tricolour and clapped the moment Chandrayaan-3 landed on the Moon.

"Though I was in South Africa for the BRICS Summit, my heart and soul was here (in India)," the prime minister said. 

Modi joined the scientists gathered at ISRO's Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) virtually.

The prime minister said all the myths and stories related to the moon will now change and the proverbs will find a new meaning for the new generation.

Modi recalled that in Indian folklore the Earth is considered ’Maa' (mother) and the Moon as ’Mama' (uncle).

"The Moon was also considered very distant and referred to as ’Chanda Mama dur ke', but the time is not far when the children would say ’Chanda Mama ek tour ke', ie, the Moon is only a tour away,” the prime minister said.

Modi expressed confidence that the achievements of Chandrayaan will take India's flight beyond the lunar orbits.

"We will test the limits of our solar system, and work to realise the infinite possibilities of the universe for humans," Modi said.

The prime minister said ISRO was soon going to launch the ’Aditya L-1' mission for a detailed study of the Sun.

He also mentioned that a mission to Venus was also one of ISRO's goals.