Mysuru (Karnataka), Nov 13 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that science and spirituality go hand in hand in India, as he noted that Indian youths are making great strides in the fields of astrophysics, science and technology.
Modi also lauded the efforts of the Mysuru Royal family in promoting science in the country by setting up Mysuru University and donating land for the Indian Institute of Science (IISc).
Dedicating the state-of-the-art COSMOS Planetarium on the Mysuru University campus in the foothills of Chamundi Hills to the youth and the people of the country, the prime minister said it is India’s first LED dome planetarium, which gives a wonderful experience.
Recalling his previous visit to Mysuru, PM Modi said a few months ago he came for the inauguration of the Vivekananda Memorial, and now he came to dedicate the Planetarium to the nation.
“The Vivekananda Memorial inspires us to look within ourselves and seek spiritual knowledge. On the other hand, when our eyes turn towards the sky, we are inspired to explore this vast universe and understand its mysteries,” Modi said.
This is an example of how the traditions of spirituality and science in India have always progressed together, he noted.
“Spirituality and science go hand in hand in India. Despite lacking modern equipment, our ancestors studied the cosmos and the movement of planets very closely. Our ancient astronomers accomplished complex mathematical calculations to study the cosmos,” he said.
He congratulated the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, the University of Mysore, various government departments and everyone associated with its construction.
Stating that technology is transforming the world at a very rapid pace today, Modi said no country can afford the risk of moving slowly in this regard.
Speaking about India’s unprecedented progress in astronomy, astrophysics and the space sector, Modi said the country installed new telescopes and placed its first solar observatory in space, Aditya L1.
He also said that India became the fourth country in the world to demonstrate the capability of docking and undocking of satellites in space.
During this period, an Indian also reached the International Space Station and conducted several experiments.
“The experience gained from this mission is proving useful for our own human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan,” Modi said.
The prime minister informed the audience that India joined a select group of nations to reach the Moon through Chandrayaan-3 and became the first country to land on the lunar south pole.
Modi also said that India successfully carried out docking and undocking of satellites in space, and sent an Indian –Shubhanshu Shukla– to the International Space Station last year.
The prime minister also noted that Indian youths participated enthusiastically in the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics and won medals.
Speaking about the government’s policy, he said India opened up the space sector for private players, allowing them to launch their rockets.
Noting that Indian space missions are meant for the welfare of humanity, he said, “Our satellites help fishermen, track trains in real time, and use satellite data for crop insurance”.
He also told the audience that the Atal Tinkering Labs have benefited over one crore students so far by providing them with opportunities to work on their ideas, conduct new experiments and pursue innovation.
The PM also said that India launched the “One Nation, One Subscription” initiative to help educational and research institutions across the country gain access to leading scientific journals from around the world.
Modi said that the Anusandhan National Research Foundation initiative helped an increasing number of universities undertake new research.
He said the government launched the Research, Development and Innovation Scheme worth Rs 1 lakh crore to ensure that researchers in our country continue to receive adequate funding.
“Today, a strong ecosystem for science and research is taking shape in the country,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the COSMOS Planetarium in Mysuru would make astronomy accessible to children through immersive learning experiences and encourage them to ask questions about the universe.
“It helps children understand the stars and planets and encourages them to ask questions,” she said.
Sitharaman said planned live video links with observatories at Hanle in Ladakh and in Tamil Nadu would bring astronomical observations into the planetarium dome on selected days, allowing students to understand how research was conducted at these facilities.
(PTI News)
