‘Chanda Mama Bas Ek Tour ke Hain’: PM Modi Hails Chandrayaan-3 Success | 2019’s Tears to 2023 ‘Festival’ WATCH

“This day is an example of how to take lessons from defeat and achieve success” – a jubilant Prime Minister Narendra Modi said from South Africa as India created history by becoming the first country to land on the south pole region of the moon with its Chandrayaan-3.

WHEN THEN ISRO CHIEF CRIED ON PM MODI’s SHOULDER in 2019 AFTER CHANDRAYAAN-2 FAILED

The words lay bare the PM’s sentiments on the meticulous success of Chandrayaan-3 Mission, in comparison to the disappointment from four years ago when then ISRO chief K Sivan had broken down on the PM’s shoulder after Chandrayaan-2 had crash-landed on the moon. Modi had then whole-heartedly praised the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) effort, too, and encouraged them to learn from the mistakes and keep going till they were successful.

On Wednesday, soon after the Chandrayaan-3 success, Modi called up ISRO Chief S Somnath from South Africa to congratulate him. “Your name is Somnath and this word is connected with the moon! I will soon congratulate you and your colleagues in person,” Modi told him. He said this success belongs to all humanity and will help the other countries in moon missions.

Modi’s address to ISRO scientists soon after the landing exhibited the effort of the past four years to invest in this mission.

“This is result of an effort over so many years. No country has been able to reach the moon’s south pole. India is time and again is proving the sky is not the limit. We have seen history being made, and this makes our life worth it. This is beginning of a developed and ‘New India’. This moment is alike to crossing an ocean of difficulties. This will bring new energy to the country,” the PM said.

Citing the statement of ISRO scientists that India is now on the moon, Modi said that though he is in South Africa for the BRICS Summit, his mind had been on the Chandrayaan-3 mission like every Indian. “Every Indian is enjoying this moment, it is like a festival,” PM Modi said.

ambitious targets

Importantly, the PM said ISRO could not stop here and was preparing for further frontiers like Venus and the Sun.

“For the future, we have set new ambitious targets. ISRO is going to launch Aditya L1 mission soon for the Sun’s detailed study. After that, Venus planet is also an ISRO target. Gaganyaan will be our first human space mission – we are preparing fully for it,” the PM said, in a forward-looking message depicting that India will not rest on its laurels.

He used the occasion to mention how this success was like an ‘amritvarsha in India’s amritkaal’ and referred to other successes in India like the G20 summit. “The countries of the global south can also achieve such feats,” the PM said. He said the old saying that ‘Chanda mama bahut door ke’ will now change to ‘Chanda mama bas ek tour ke hain.”

With these words, the disappointment of 2019 is now history and PM Modi’s jubilant words capture not just his happiness, but that of the entire country.