Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh hosted a Republic Day reception for ISRO Women Scientists, numbering over 225, at his residence in New Delhi.
These included eminent Women Scientists team which led the Republic Day ISRO tableau depicting Chandrayaan, Aditya L1 and other recent success stories that have received global acclaim and connected each of the 140 crore Indians with the ISRO.
ISRO tableau was led entirely by eight women scientists, while 220 invited Women Scientists along with their spouses cheered the contingent. The all-women contingent was derived from various ISRO centres at Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Thiruvananthapuram and Sriharikota.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, this day of glory was made possible by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi who had brought in new Space reforms and liberated the Space sector from the shackles of the past.
The women scientists said, they felt extremely honoured and privileged for the spontaneous applause as the ISRO tableau paraded down the Kartavya Path.
Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for giving them an opportunity to showcase their achievements to the nation, they said they were overwhelmed by the warm hospitality accorded to them at the national capital that made them forget the cold winter of Delhi.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, as ISRO tableau started approaching the President’s enclosure, the narration was ISRO-“Viksit Bharat Ki Pehchaan”.
The Space agency depicted the historic moment when its spacecraft Chandrayaan-3 successfully touched down on the moon on August 23 last year. The milestone led India to become the first and the only country in the world to land near the unexplored lunar south pole, added Dr Jitendra Singh.
Dr Jitendra Singh said ISRO is the epitome of India’s Naarishakti, – with women scientists not only participating but also leading the various activities in Space research programmes. Ms. Nigar Shaji is the Project Director of Aditya L1 Mission while Ms. Kalpana Kalahasti is the Associate Project Director, Chandrayaan-3, he said.
During the Reception, ISRO Chairman Dr S. Somanath introduced to the Minister the women Project Directors and scientists like Nigar Shaji, ISRO’s ‘Sunny Lady’, Dr Radha Devi of ADRIL and other leading Scientists who made history like Kalpana Kalahasti, Reema Ghosh, Ritu Karidhal and Nidhi Porwal.
Women will be equal partners in our nation’s journey during the Amritkaal and the women scientists of ISRO will be its torchbearers as we march towards a Viksit Bharat @2047, said Dr Jitendra Singh.
