Good morning all of you,

It is an honour to be at the heart of India's space exploration prowess.

Congratulations ISRO family, for your incredible talent and commitment under outstanding leadership of Chairman Sreedhara Panicker Somanath for globally defining India’s innovation and technological quantum jump.

Your stellar achievements, Chandrayan 3 to name one, have showcased our scientific prowess and technological expertise on world stage, while enhancing the quality of life for millions of our fellow citizens.

Your continued dedication to pushing the boundaries of space exploration and leveraging technology will certainly play a pivotal role in realisation of Viksit Bharat@2047.

Indian Space Programme and its ecosystem have been in a state of unprecedented vibrancy with various achievements by ISRO.

Nation is proud of your historic achievement in launching of 432 foreign satellites from 34 countries and becoming the 1st and the only country to land on the lunar south pole successfully. We have Tiranga and Shiv Shakti Points there.

Thanks to this phenomenal achievement of ISRO that India celebrates August 23 as National Space Day.

ISRO’s success has ignited the fascination of masses and brought space technology to every household which was evident when the launch of Chandrayan-3 broke the internet by becoming one of the most watched live streams on YouTube with over 8 million viewers. Only ISRO's achievements were being shown across all international channels!

ISRO’s support in Governance and Disaster management through internal institutional mechanism has been a game changer.

Geospatial support for Flagship Programme PM Fasal Bima Yojana and PM Awas Yojana is a case in point. These two impact those who are in great need of it- farmers and the vulnerable section or society.

ISRO’s role in developing models for early warning of Genesis, Track, Intensity and Landfall at par with global benchmarks is commendable.

I must, particularly on International Women’s Day, commend ISRO for its culture of gender diversity in all its endeavors and inclusivity in decision making process.

Presently there are about 20% women in scientific and technical areas. More than 500 women employees are in leadership roles at different levels in managerial and administrative domains, including leading a Centre.

I have a slight digression. A woman is always in a leadership role, right from birth!

India’s Rocket Women are leading us to the sky and beyond. They have broken ceilings for themselves, and for our progress to go beyond benchmarks set earlier.

Your indomitable spirit and contribution indeed resonates with the theme of International Women's Day 2024: “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress” and  the campaign theme: 'Inspire Inclusion’. ISRO has exemplified this in action! It is a befitting example to other organisations.

It is now a ground reality and was reflected at Kartavya Path on 26th January where women led contingents exemplified the spirit of Rising Bharat.

In the next ten years, India is likely to witness nearly five-fold rise in its contribution to global space economy.

ISRO has also cemented itself as a key player and a contributor in enhancing India's global diplomacy and soft power.

I have no doubt that Bharat at 2047 will be not just a developed nation but a global space power.

Let us continue to reach for the stars, not just for the glory of our nation and the goal of Viksit Bharat@2047, but for the betterment of humanity as a whole.

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MS/RC/JK

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