Apparently, Indians all over the world, celebrated the success of Chandrayaan 3. I too was one of them, as I saw the live telecast with my office staff.
Obviously, our PM was also over the moon as he effused about the phenomenal greatness of the moment. He mentioned that this was a declaration to the world of the great new India in the making.
But as I pondered over the successful scientific feat and what it actually meant to us as a country or as a society, my exhilaration quickly faded.
The proud feeling of being one of the 4 countries to achieve the feat of landing on the moon also was short-lived.
I wondered why other advanced economies and developed societies such as France, Germany, UK, and Japan haven’t done this yet.
And yet these countries are called developed nations, something which our PM wants India to become – and he mentioned that in his speech after the landing yesterday. He spoke about “Vikasit” (developed) India.
But my dear PM, nations and societies cannot be considered developed just because they can send a lander and rover on the South pole of the moon to find water…. before that, isn’t it essential that a developed nation-society is able to provide clean and hygienic drinking water to all its citizens on earth.
So, although commendable, lets us not go gaga over what ISRO has achieved.
Let our exhilaration be tempered by what we as a nation have not yet achieved. And achieving that may prove to be more difficult that than putting a “Tiranga” on the moon.
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