Prime Minister Modi applauded India's moon mission Chandrayaan-2, which was launched on July 22.
On his radio-show titled 'Mann Ki Baat', he said that the two greatest lessons he has received from Chandrayaan-2 are faith and fearlessness. "We should trust our talents and capacities; we should have faith in them. You will be glad to know that Chandrayaan II is 'Indian' to the core. It is thoroughly Indian in heart and spirit. It is completely a swadeshi, home grown mission. This mission has proved beyond doubt, once again, that when it comes to attempting an endeavour in new age, cutting edge areas, with innovative zeal, our scientists are second to none. They are the best… they are world class."
The second important lesson he said is – never lose hope in the face of stumbling blocks or obstacles. "The way our scientists rectified technical issues in record time, burning the midnight oil, is in itself an exemplary, unparalleled task. The world watched the Tapasya, the awesome perseverance of our scientists."
He said the country should also feel proud of the fact that despite hindrances, there is no change in the arrival time, for which many world over are amazed at. "I fervently hope that the Chandrayaan II mission will inspire our youth towards Science and Innovation. After all, Science is the path to progress. We are now expectantly waiting for the month of September, when Lander Vikram and Rover Pragyan will land on Lunar surface," Modi said.
Quiz competition for school children
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his show, 'Mann ki Baat', said that Government will initiate a quiz competition among schools across the country. The winners of the competition will get a chance to visit the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Centre in Sriharikota on September 22 to watch the live-landing of Chandrayan-II on the Moon.
He said the details of the quiz competition will be shared on August 1, and urged schools and students to begin preparations and participate in the competition.
"I invite young boys and girls to a Quiz Competition. Your inquisitiveness regarding Space, India’s Space Mission, Science and Technology will be the salient features of this Quiz Competition. For example, how is a rocket launched, how is a satellite placed in orbit, what information do we gather from a satellite, what is A-Sat, and many more of these. The details of this competition will be available on the Mygov website," Modi said in the second episode of Mann ki Baat 2.0.
He urged schools, parents, enthusiastic teachers and mentors to strive hard to ensure victory for their respective schools. "Encourage all students to join. The most thrilling part is that students scoring the highest in their respective states will be invited to visit Sriharikota, with expenses borne by the government. There in September they will get an opportunity to witness the moment when Chandrayaan would be landing on the surface of the Moon," he said.
He said that Chandrayaan-2 is a mission that is special on many counts -- it will lead to a better understanding of the Moon on our part -- and we will be able to gather detailed information and knowledge.