FIS Celebrates Historic Chandrayaan-3 Moon Landing with Indian Consulate

HOUSTON: On September 16, 2023, The Foundation for India Studies (FIS) in association with Consulate General of India in Houston proudly commemorated the remarkable achievement of India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission. This momentous event comes after India’s successful landing near the south pole of the moon in August 2023, marking India as the first country to achieve this incredible feat.

The Chandrayaan-3 mission, driven by a thirst for knowledge about our celestial neighbor, reached a new pinnacle of human exploration with its successful landing on the Moon’s South Polar Region, an area previously unexplored due to its unique challenges. This historic endeavor promises to unveil critical insights into the Moon’s enigmatic past and the origins of our Solar System.

India’s historic feat in reaching the lunar south pole not only adds a significant chapter to the country’s legacy but also underscores its technological prowess on the global stage. It showcases India’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of space exploration.

In honor of this extraordinary achievement, FIS organized an exclusive event that celebrated India’s historic moon landing on the uncharted south side of the moon. This event highlighted the immense contributions of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to the field of space exploration.

Mr. Krunal Joshi, Counselor, Space at the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C. and ISRO Representative in the United States, addressed the audience through a live video link from Washington DC. He took the audience on a journey through ISRO’s decades-long space odyssey, from its humble beginnings to its current successes. Mr. Joshi paid tribute to Dr. Vikram Sarabhai’s visionary leadership and shared a presentation titled “From BHARAT TO THE MOON.”

Dr. Kamlesh Lulla, NASA Senior Scientist, delivered a captivating presentation titled “NASA (USA) and ISRO (INDIA) Partnership for Global Good.”

Dr. Lulla represented NASA and congratulated ISRO on this historic landing. He shed light on the historical agreements between ISRO and NASA and showed historic photo of Dr. Sarabhai and NASA’s Acting Administrator, Dr. Thomas O. Payne, signing Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) in the early days of ISRO.

Dr Lulla described NASA’s Artemis Lunar Exploration program and discussed NASA’s Artemis Accords which are agreements to join NASA in peaceful exploration of the lunar south pole. In June 2023, the Indian Ambassador signed the accord on the margins of the Indian Prime Minister’s visit to the White House.

Mr. D.C. Manjunath, Consul General of India in Houston, presided over the event and highlighted the profound significance of India’s historic moon landing. He reminded the audience that the Government of India has designated the day of the moon landing, August 23, as National Space Day. Mr. Manjunath also mentioned that September 15th was celebrated in India as Engineer’s Day, paying tribute to the great Indian Engineer, Bharat Ratna Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, whose contributions to the field of engineering were immeasurable.

Consul General Mr. Manjunath also disclosed that in addition to the Mangalyaan, Chandrayaan and Gaganyaan missions, India has ambitious plans to explore the depths of the ocean floor under its upcoming “Samudrayaan” mission, set to launch later this year.

The Foundation for India Studies applauds India’s remarkable achievement in lunar exploration and looks forward to the scientific discoveries and technological advancements that will undoubtedly arise from Chandrayaan-3’s historic mission.

For more information about the Foundation for India Studies and its mission, please visit : www.foundationforindiastudies.org.

Hiren Sarma, Director of FIS emceed the event and also moderated a lively Q&A session, Sudhakar Tallavajhula, Director of FIS gave the Vote of Thanks and Krishna Vavilala, Founder and Chairman of FIS welcomed the audience in the beginning.

About the Foundation for India Studies: The Foundation for India Studies is a non-profit 501(c3) organization dedicated to foster a deeper understanding of India through various initiatives and programs