Jammu, Feb 28: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) J&K Executive Member Raman Suri on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing the names of the four astronauts-designate who have been undergoing training for the country’s maiden human spaceflight programme Gaganyaan, is a proud moment for India.
“The relentless efforts of Indian scientists, engineers, and defence personnel and the immense support of the Prime Minister besides Union Minister in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh to the space mission has led to this day when we are close to launching the indigenous human space flight,” Suri said in a statement issued here.
Raman congratulated the four astronauts-designate, who were called “four Shakti” by PM Modi — Group Captains Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Angad Pratap, Ajit Krishnan, and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla – and wished them good luck for their well-being and endeavour to fulfil the aspirations of Indians. These officers of the Indian Airforce underwent rigorous training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Russia for four years and will soon be a part of the country’s first manned space mission.
The BJP leader said that it is after four decades that Indians will be travelling to space. This, he added, will further strengthen India’s resolve to complete the manned mission to Moon in years to come and, also set up a space station. He congratulated Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Science and Technology and Minister of State for Prime Minister’s Office; Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions; Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, for making India self-reliant in space technology.
Now that four astronaut-designates have been bestowed with the prestigious ‘astronaut wings’ by our PM Narendra Modi, it has sent jubilations amongst Indians especially, the science students and our defence forces, the BJP leader said.
Prime Minister’s words that “this time around, the countdown, the timing, and even the rocket would be ours” is not only encouraging but also an indication that India is poised to become self-reliant and a power to reckon with, he asserted.
Suri added that the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme will be the best example of the Made in India programme launched by the BJP Government at the Centre. “Those doubting the credentials of the Modi government must see how swiftly the nation is progressing in every field,” he said.
The BJP leader also congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists in making preparations for the launch of India’s indigenous human space mission in months to come, adding that the recent space infrastructure projects inaugurated by PM Modi which include – ‘Trisonic Wind Tunnel’ at Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC) Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), the new‘Semi-Cryogenics Integrated Engine and Stage Test Facility’ at ISRO Propulsion Complex atMahendragiri(Tamil Nadu), and the PSLV Integration Facility (PIF) at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR) in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota, will provide world-class technical facilities for the space sector.
