India successfully landed its mooncraft Chandrayaan-3 on the south pole of the Moon
KATHMANDU, AUGUST 23
Nepal's top leaders, including Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, have congratulated India for creating history by successfully landing Chandrayaan-3 on the South Pole of the Moon.
With this, India has become the first country to reach the less explored part of the moon till date. This is India's first unmanned landing on the surface of the Moon.
Chandrayaan-3's Vikram lander landed on the Moon at 6:04pm (Indian time) today as per the plan of Indian Space Research Organisation.
After the landing, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the people present in the control room of the Indian Space Research Organisation and all Indians, describing the moment as 'unforgettable' and 'unprecedented'.
Ever since Chandrayaan-3 touched the Moon's surface, there have been celebrations across India. Scientists have described the last 15 minutes before landing as very critical and terrifying and the activity was watched by more than eight million people with mammoth interest and engagement from around the world. As eight million viewers were watching the live stream of the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3, it also set a world record of the most views in YouTube.
Last weekend, a Russian spacecraft carrying a similar mission crashed there during landing . One of the main objectives of Chandrayaan-3 will be to explore ice. Scientists say that if ice is found, it will support human habitation on the Moon in the future. The lander Vikram has been sending images of the Moon's surface since it entered the lunar orbit early August.
With the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3, India became the first country to reach the south pole of the Moon and the fourth country to successfully reach the lunar surface. Previously, the US, then Soviet Union and China had all landed their spacecraft around the Moon's midline, also known as the equator.
Shortly after landing, the six-wheele rover will exit the Vikram lander and move towards the rocks and craters on the Moon's surface, sending vital images and data back to the Earth. The rover's wheels also bear ISRO's logo and emblem. An official told the BBC that while the wheels were rolling, they would leave ISRO's imprint on the lunar soil.
PM Modi, who is in South Africa to attend the BRICS conference, gave a virtual speech in Hindi and said that like everyone in the country, his mind was on Chandrayaan-3. He said India's successful lunar mission was not just about India. Terming it as India's 'human-centric style,' Modi said, "One Earth, One Family, One Future resonates around the world."
Modi said the Indian space agency ISRO had worked for years for this moment. "With the hard work and talent of our scientists, we have reached the south pole of the Moon where no other country in the world has reached. Now the myths related to the Moon will change, the stories will also change, and the sayings will change for the new generation."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal took to Twitter today to congratulate his counterpart Narendra Modi on the successful landing of Chandrayaan–3 on the surface of the Moon. "I congratulate Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji and ISRO team of India on successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the surface of the Moon today and unleashing of a historic achievement in science and space technology," tweeted PM Dahal.
Similarly, Nepal's Foreign Minister NP Saud also congratulated India on achieving this milestone.
He tweeted, "Heartiest congratulations to India for successful soft-landing of Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft on the Moon! This is not only a moment of national pride for our Indian friends but also an important milestone in the advancement of space science and technology, which ultimately contributes to making our lives better."
Likewise, Nepali Congress president and former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba felicitated the achievement of India by congratulating PM Modi "Congratulations to Prime Minister @narendramodi and the people of India for the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon. This is a remarkable progress made by India in space sector. We admire the outstanding work of the scientists of ISRO," Deuba wrote.
A version of this article appears in the print on August 24, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
