Arun Haryani, an enthusiast with his body painted in tri-colours, holds up a model of LVM3 M4, which was used in launching the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, in Ahmedabad on the eve of the moon landing, August 22. REUTERS/Amit Dave Acquire Licensing Rights
NEW DELHI, Aug 23 (Reuters) – India on Wednesday became the fourth country to land on the moon after the Indian Space Research Organisation’s Chandrayaan-3 touched down on the rugged south pole.
Following are some reactions:
S. SOMANATH, INDIAN SPACE RESEARCH ORGANISATION (ISRO)CHAIRMAN
“India is on the moon.”
NARENDRA MODI, PRIME MINISTER, INDIA
“This moment is unforgettable. It is phenomenal. This is a victory cry of a new India”.
RAHUL GANDHI, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, CONGRESS
“Chandrayaan-3’s soft landing on the uncharted lunar South Pole is the result of decades of tremendous ingenuity and hard work by our scientific community. Since 1962, India’s space programme has continued to scale new heights and inspire generations of young dreamers.”
SHAH RUKH KHAN, BOLLYWOOD ACTOR
“Congratulations to all the scientists and engineers … the whole team which has made India so proud.”
D.Y. CHANDRACHUD, CHIEF JUSTICE OF INDIA
“This will herald new avenues in scientific research and discovery. This represents a milestone in the march of the nation.”
MALLIKARJUN KHARGE, PRESIDENT, OPPOSITION CONGRESS PARTY
“The success of #Chandrayaan3 is the collective success of every Indian. An elated nation with (1.4 billion) aspirations witnessed today yet another achievement in its six-decade long space programme.”
BILL NELSON, ADMINISTRATOR, NASA
“Congratulations ISRO on your successful Chandrayaan-3 lunar South Pole landing! And congratulations to India on being the 4th country to successfully soft-land a spacecraft on the Moon. We’re glad to be your partner on this mission!”
JOSEF ASCHBACHER, DIRECTOR GENERAL, EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY
“Incredible! Congratulations to ISRO, Chandrayaan-3, and to all the people of India!! 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
“History made! Congratulations to ISRO”
CYRIL RAMAPHOSA, PRESIDENT, SOUTH AFRICA
“This for us, as the BRICS family, is a momentous occasion and we rejoice with you. We join you in the joy of this great achievement.”
PUSHPA KAMAL DAHAL, PRIME MINISTER, NEPAL
“I congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ISRO team of India on successful landing of Chandrayan-3 in the surface of the moon today and unleashing of a historic achievement in science and space technology.”
Compiled by Nivedita Bhattacharjee and Blassy Boben; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Toby Chopra
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