'Only he can do that': ISRO chief S Somanath on 'Indian-sounding' name of Chandrayaan-3's landing site given by PM Modi

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief S Somanath on Saturday said the scientists were overjoyed by the naming of Chandrayaan-3's landing point as 'Shiv Shakti' by Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier in the day. "We were overjoyed by this naming. It is conventional for space people when such extra-planetary event takes place, we generally name such locations. It is customary, but it is very spontaneous for him to identify a name that is more Indianised and Indian sounding...it is something very unique. He only can do it," the ISRO chief said while speaking at Business Today's India@100 Summit.

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Earlier today, Prime Minister Modi visited the ISRO's command centre in Bengaluru and announced the name of the site where the Chandrayaan-3 landed on August 23. "The point where the moon lander of Chandrayaan-3 landed will now be known as 'Shiv Shakti," he said. "In Shiv, there is a resolution for the welfare of humanity and Shakti gives us strength to fulfill those resolutions. This Shiv Shakti Point of the moon also gives a sense of connection with Himalaya to Kanyakumari," he said. 

PM Modi also named the site where Chandrayaan 2 left its footprints. He said that point will now be called 'Tiranga'. 

ISRO chief Somanath said it was a privilege to have Prime Minister Modi during critical events like the soft-landing of Chnardyaan-3 on August 23. He also hailed the Prime Minister's decision to declare 'August 23' the National Space Day. "That is a fantastic thing that can happen," he said.    

While announcing the name of the landing site, PM Modi referred to contributions made by women. He emphasized the welfare core of the pursuit of science and said that these pious resolutions need the blessings of Shakti and that Shakti is our Nari Shakti. "In the success of Chandrayaan-3, our women scientists, the country's Nari Shakti have played a big role.

Commenting on the naming of the site, Chandrayaan-3's deputy project director Kalpana Kalahasti, a woman scientist in the lunar mission, said PM Modi rightly chose the name accounting for the contribution of women's contribution to the mission. "It indicates the equal contribution of men and women involved in this project...it was a really jubilating moment and we really enjoyed it when the name was announced."

Somanath also shared the latest updates on rover Pragyan, which is carrying out in-situ experiments. He said the rover has moved 12-plus meters on the lunar surface. "It is moving very slowly, it's a cute little baby. It can't run fast, it is crawling. It is equipped with very fantastic instruments and also beautiful navigation cameras. However the data rate is very slow, and the speed is very slow. We are expecting to turn (the rover) in such a way that we can take a picture of the lander today or tomorrow."