India’s entry into the red planet’s orbit on Wednesday brought the country – particularly the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) — accolades at home and from overseas.
President Pranab Mukherjee led the nation in congratulating ISRO for the successful Orbit Insertion Manoeuvre of the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) that made India the first Asian country and ISRO the fourth space agency to send a satellite to Mars.
“The nation is proud of this historic achievement which has demonstrated, yet again, India’s space capabilities,” the President said in his message.
Hearty congratulations & best wishes to ISRO Team on Mangalyaan's success; nation proud of this historic acheivement >#PresidentMukherjee
— President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) >September 24, 2014Hailing ISRO’s achievement, Vice-President Hamid Ansari said: “I am confident that our scientists will continue to scale greater heights and win more laurels for the country in the field of space exploration in the future.”
Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan hoped the success of this mission would inspire scientists to reach more milestones and instil a new confidence in all Indians.
The political class also applauded ISRO in one voice for successfully putting MOM in the red planet’s orbit in the maiden attempt itself.
Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah said: “The Mars mission’s success is continuity to the astronomical heritage laid down by astronomers like Lagadha, Aryabhata, Brahmagupta and Bhaskara.”
The Mars mission's success is continuity to the astronomical heritage laid down by astronomers like Lagadha,Āryabhaṭa,Brahmagupta, Bhāskara.
— Amit Shah (@AmitShahOffice) >September 24, 2014Congratulating ISRO scientists, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh said “Bharat has scripted history” by becoming the first country to make it to the Martian orbit in its very first attempt. Laudatory messages began pouring in on social networking sites as soon as MOM was in Mars’ orbit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ministerial colleagues took to Twitter to celebrate India’s entry into the elite club of nations which have reached the Red Planet.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi sought to put the success in perspective by describing it as a “milestone in the journey that we as a nation envisaged after Independence”. Others in the Congress flagged messages on Twitter that sought to give some credit to the founding fathers of India’s space programme and the former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who pushed for the Mars Mission.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) said the scientific and technological potential should be fully developed for use in other sectors. The CPI also congratulated ISRO.
Biju Janata Dal MP Baijayant Jay Panda tweeted: “ISRO scientists continue to make the nation proud. Mars is the first attempt, with puny budget. Object lesson for our public sector.”
