My Greetings to everyone!

Governor of Karnataka, Sudha Yadav Ji, Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar Ji, my Cabinet colleague, Nirmala Sitharaman Ji, Minister in the State Government, Basavaraj Rayareddy Ji, my colleague in Parliament, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar Ji, all the scientists, researchers, teachers, other distinguished dignitaries, and my dear brothers and sisters of Mysuru.

First of all, I respectfully bow to Tai Chamundeshwari. I am very happy to be here in Mysuru once again. Just a few months ago, I had come among you for the inauguration of the Viveka Smaraka. And today, we have gathered here to dedicate the COSMOS Planetarium to the nation. Both these occasions convey a profound message about India's values and our culture. Viveka Smaraka inspires us to look within ourselves and seek spiritual knowledge. At COSMOS, on the other hand, our eyes are lifted towards the sky. We are inspired to explore this vast universe and understand its mysteries. This is an example of how the traditions of spirituality and science in India have always progressed side by side.

Friends,

Our ancestors used to study the sky very closely. They understood the movements of stars and planets, prepared calendars and calculated the timings of solar and lunar eclipses. India was home to many great astronomers such as Aryabhata, Varahamihira, Bhaskaracharya and Nilakantha Somayaji. The advanced instruments and technologies that are available today did not exist at that time. Despite this, they made great discoveries and carried out even the most difficult calculations.

Friends,

Mysuru has a tradition of establishing institutions that encourage the pursuit of knowledge. The University of Mysore was established during the reign of Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar. The Wadiyar family also played an important role in laying the foundation of the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru. These institutions have provided generations of students and researchers with opportunities to advance. And today, when India is achieving one milestone after another in the field of science, Mysuru, too, is adding a new chapter to India's scientific journey in the form of this state-of-the-art COSMOS Planetarium. Today, this state-of-the-art COSMOS Planetarium is being dedicated to the youth and the people of the country. It is India's first LED Dome Planetarium. I have just had the opportunity to watch a show here. It was a remarkable experience in itself. I congratulate the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, the University of Mysore, various government departments and everyone associated with its construction. I extend my congratulations to the nation on this occasion.

Friends,

For a long time, there has been a call in our country, which Nirmala Ji mentioned in her speech just now - Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan. Atal Ji added Jai Vigyan to it, and then I added Jai Anusandhan as well. The India of the 21st century is moving forward with this very vision. And our country's youth are performing exceptionally well in this regard. Last year, India hosted the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics in Mumbai. Our young people participated in it with great enthusiasm. And this year, for the next edition of the same Olympiad, five students from India went to Vietnam. Four of them won gold medals and one won a silver medal. This is a matter of pride for the entire country.

Friends,

Our young students are also performing remarkably well in other fields of science. This year, Indian students achieved major successes in the International Olympiads as well. These included subjects such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology. All the students won either gold or silver medals. This has been a record achievement for India. This means that when our youth get opportunities, when they receive the necessary resources to learn, and when they get the support of technology, tools and institutions, they demonstrate their ability to achieve great things. This COSMOS Planetarium, too, is now going to help them greatly in giving shape to their dreams.

Friends,

Technology is changing the world very rapidly today. And no country can afford the risk of moving slowly in this area. Over the past decade, India has made unprecedented progress in astronomy, astrophysics and the space sector. We have installed new telescopes in the country. In several challenging areas of space exploration, India has today become one of the few countries in the world. Through Chandrayaan-3, ISRO made India the first country in the world to land near the Moon's South Pole. In the form of Aditya-L1, India has received its first solar observatory in space. Just last year, India became the fourth country in the world to demonstrate the capability of docking and undocking in space.

Friends,

During this period, an Indian also reached the International Space Station and conducted several new experiments. The experience gained from this mission is also proving useful for our own human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan.

Friends,

Our government opened up the space sector. This created new opportunities for the private sector. India's startups also got an opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities. Today, our youth are launching their own rockets, placing satellites into orbit and undertaking many such activities in the space sector that had never been carried out in India before. This is the scientific approach of a New India, where new discoveries are being encouraged, new technologies are being developed and new opportunities are being created for our youth.

Friends,

India has always moved forward with the mantra of Humanity First. India's space missions, too, have been dedicated to the welfare of humanity. For example, ISRO has developed a satellite communication system for our fishermen brothers.

With the help of this system, when boats equipped with receivers are at sea, officials can send timely alerts to them during storms. And they can also track their safe return to the shore.

Friends,

Many of you must be checking the live location of trains. This tells you where a train has reached and when it is expected to arrive at a station. This information is provided by the Real-Time Train Tracking System developed by Indian Railways and ISRO. Similarly, satellite data is also used in the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. Under this, information collected from fields, along with satellite data, is used to estimate crop yields. Farmers' insurance claims are being determined on the basis of these estimates. This means that today, our satellites are reaching the heights of space, while at the same time, they are being used to improve people's lives on Earth.

Friends,

Science for Society- this is our approach. We are continuously promoting research and innovation in the country. More than one crore students have so far benefited from the country's over 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs. These labs provide children with opportunities to work on their ideas, conduct new experiments and innovate.

Friends,

To advance research, it is essential that our students and researchers have access to the world's best research. With this objective, we launched One Nation One Subscription. It is now greatly helping the country's educational and research institutions gain access to leading scientific journals from around the world. We established the Anusandhan National Research Foundation. Through this, we are helping an increasing number of universities undertake new research.

Friends,

Last year, we also launched a Research, Development and Innovation Scheme worth Rs. 1 lakh crore, so that our country's researchers continue to receive adequate funding. This is helping take new technologies out of laboratories and bring them to practical use.

Friends,

Today, a strong ecosystem for science and research is taking shape in the country. Curiosity among young people is essential for making progress in the field of science. Planetariums and science centres play an important role in nurturing this curiosity. I urge everyone associated with COSMOS to work in this area so that schools and colleges here can organise visits for as many students as possible, and arrangements can be made to bring them here. The children who come here to learn about the universe may well be among those who return here one day and tell us about the new discoveries they have made about the universe. And that will be the greatest achievement of this COSMOS Planetarium. With this confidence, I wish you all the very best for the journey ahead. I extend my best wishes to all of you. Thank you very much.

DISCLAIMER: This is the approximate translation of Prime Minister’s address. Original address was delivered in Hindi.

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MJPS/SS/VJ/ST

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