Excitement generated by Chandrayaan-3 success must be channelised to power scientific temper: PM

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the excitement generated by the success of Chandrayaan-3 has to be channelised to power scientific temper among youngsters to realise the dream of a developed India by 2047.

Addressing a function organised at the airport here by the BJP to celebrate the success of Chandrayaan-3 and welcome the prime minister on his return from his two-nation tour, Modi said that at the BRICS Summit in South Africa and during his visit to Greece, he received several congratulatory messages over the success of the lunar mission.

Modi was welcomed at the Delhi airport by BJP president J P Nadda and Lok Sabha members from the national capital, while scores of people had gathered at the function to celebrate the Chandrayaan-3 landing on the Moon.

The prime minister also spoke about his brief stopover in Bengaluru on Saturday morning, during which he met ISRO scientists and took the decision to name the landing point of the spacecraft as "Shiv Shakti". He also said that the point where Chandrayaan-2 had crash landed on the moon has been named as "Tiranga".

The excitement generated by the success of Chandrayaan-3 has to be channelised to power scientific temper among youngsters, Modi said.

"We have to attract the new generation to science. The 21st century is technology driven and only that nation will move forward which has mastered science and technology," he said.

"The need of the hour is to walk the path of science and technology with greater strength if we have to realise the dream of a developed India by 2047," Modi said, adding that the new generation has to be encouraged to imbibe scientific temper early in their lives He said technology needs to be used to deliver good governance, last-mile delivery of services and for improving the quality of life of the common people.

"I have directed different departments to use space sciences, power of satellites for quick response delivery of services with transparency and perfection,” he said.

Earlier, welcoming Modi on his return, BJP president Nadda said the prime minister's guidance and direction had made Chandrayaan-3 a successful project.

"It was a reflection of your commitment and dedication that you went to Bengaluru directly and met the ISRO scientists who achieved a landmark for India with their hardwork," Nadda said.

"Today the nation has established itself in the field of science and space. The world is applauding India's science and research. The prime minister's guidance has given us the opportunity to experience this moment," he said.