India's Inaugural National Space Day: Celebrating Lunar Landmarks and Future Missions

Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared August 23 as National Space Day to mark India's Chandrayaan-3 lander's historic moon landing. This achievement made India the fourth nation to land on the moon and the first to touch the lunar South Pole. National and union ministers lauded the space scientists and the government's vision.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his greetings on the first National Space Day, commemorating India's remarkable achievement in lunar exploration. It was on August 23, 2023, that the Chandrayaan-3 lander completed a historic soft landing on the moon, making India the fourth country to achieve this feat and the first to touch down on the lunar South Pole. In recognition of this milestone, PM Modi declared August 23 as National Space Day.

In a post on X, PM Modi expressed his pride in India's space achievements and praised the contributions of space scientists. He stated, "Greetings to everyone on the first National Space Day. We recall with great pride our nation's achievements in the space sector. It is also a day to laud the contributions of our space scientists. Our government has taken a series of futuristic decisions relating to this sector and we will do even more in the times to come." Union Home Minister Amit Shah also lauded the scientists behind the successful Chandrayaan mission.

Union Ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and Nitin Gadkari also expressed their joy and gratitude. Puri highlighted ISRO's journey from humble beginnings to lunar triumphs, while Gadkari praised current and future missions like Gaganyaan. The theme for National Space Day 2024 is "Touching Lives While Touching the Moon: India's Space Saga," celebrating the nation's cosmic strides and contributions to space exploration.

(With inputs from agencies.)