Leaders rally around ISRO, say no need to lose heart

Bengaluru: Morale boosting messages poured in from various quarters for ISRO as several leaders asked the space agency not to get disheartened after Chandrayaan-2’s Vikram lander lost contact with ground stations minutes before its planned touchdown on the lunar surface.

Expressing solidarity with the scientific community, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said “India is proud of our scientists”, and asked them to be “courageous.”

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman too extended her support to the ISRO scientists.

She tweeted, “We are with you ISRO. You have brought the nation, its young minds and all, together in sensing your achievements in Space. You will succeed.”

Union Minister for Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan urged the scientists not to give up and that success was failure turned inside out.
“The silver tint of the clouds of doubt You never can tell how close you are It may be near when it seems so far. You have done your best for Chandrayaan-2!” he tweeted.

He was optimistic that the ISRO scientists would accomplish the mission in the future.

In a tweet, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said ISRO’s achievement with getting Chandrayaan-2 so far has made every Indian proud and added that the country stood with the committed and hard working scientists of ISRO.

“.. My best wishes for future endeavours,” he said.

While congratulating ISRO, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said their work was not in vain.

“It (Chandrayaan-2) has laid the foundation for many more path breaking and ambitious Indian space missions,” Gandhi said.

The Congress party too extended its support to the ISRO.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said there was no need for ISRO to lose heart.

“Our scientists have done a great job,” he tweeted.