Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday encouraged the youths to spend “one day as a scientist” visiting research labs, planetariums, or space centres to spark curiosity among them in science while highlighting the “wonderful century” that India has made in space by launching its 100th rocket last month.
Addressing the nation via his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Prime Minister Modi made reference to the ongoing ‘Champions Trophy’ and “the thrill of a century in cricket” adding that the country has witnessed a “wonderful century” with the launch of ISRO’s 100th rocket.
“This is not just a number; it also reflects our resolve to touch new heights in space science every day. Our space journey had commenced in a rather modest way. There were challenges at every step, but our scientists kept moving forward, conquering them. With time, the list of our successes in this space odyssey kept rising. Be it the manufacture of launch vehicles, the successes of Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan, Aditya L-1, or the unprecedented mission of sending 104 satellites into space at one go with a single rocket—the ambit of ISRO’s successes has been quite expansive,” he said.
“Over the last 10 years alone, around 460 satellites have been launched, and this includes many satellites of other countries as well. Another important fact in recent years is that the participation of woman power is constantly on the rise among our team of space scientists. I am also very happy to see that today the space sector has become a favourite for our youth.”
Besides space science, the Prime Minister cited that India is rapidly carving out a robust identity in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) which has been recognised by the world at a major conference in Paris.
Moreover, PM Modi pointed the Indians who are using AI in innovative ways, such as Thodasam Kailash, a teacher who is using AI to compose songs in tribal languages and preserve cultural heritage.
“Be it the space sector or AI, the ever-increasing participation of our youth is begetting a new revolution. The people of India are second to none in adopting and trying new technologies,” PM Modi said.
Furthermore, in light of the upcoming ‘International Women’s Day’ on March 8th, Prime Minister said that it is a special occasion to salute the indomitable power of women, “Nari Shakti” while referring to the significant role that women have played in the country’s freedom struggle and the creation of India’s constitution.
Additionally, Prime Minister expressed concern on the growing cases of obesity in India, with one in every eight people affected. To address this issue, he recommended reducing edible oil consumption by 10 per cent.
“Friends, using less oil in food and dealing with obesity is not just a personal choice but also our responsibility towards the family. Excessive use of oil in food can cause many diseases like heart disease, diabetes and hypertension. By making small changes in our food habits, we can make our future stronger, fitter and disease-free,” he said.
Talking on wildlife conservation, PM Modi said that country’s and its citizen’s efforts in this direction have led to an increase in the population of tigers, leopards, Asiatic lions, rhinos, and Barasingha.
“We will celebrate World Wildlife Day at the beginning of next month. I urge you to encourage people associated with wildlife protection. It is a matter of great satisfaction for me that many start-ups have also emerged in this field,” PM Modi said.
