Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced that Chandrayaan-3's landing spot on the Moon would be named as Shiv Shakti point and August 23 celebrated as 'National Space Day'.

Modi, who flew down to Bengaluru this morning directly from the Greek capital of Athens after summit talks, made the announcement while congratulating and interacting with scientists of the Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) after the successful touchdown of the Vikram lander on the unexplored lunar south pole on August 23.

Terming the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission as an 'extraordinary moment' in the history of India's space programme and a "roaring announcement" of the country's scientific accomplishment in the infinite universe, Modi, who turned emotional, said the place where the Chandrayaan-2 lander crash-landed on the Moon's surface in 2019 and left its imprints would be known as Tiranga point.

"There is a scientific tradition of naming the location of a touchdown. India has decided to name the lunar region where our Chandrayaan-3 landed. The place where Vikram lander descended will be known as Shiv Shakti point." "In Shiv, there is resolution for the welfare of humanity and Shakti gives us strength to fulfil those resolutions. This Shiv Shakti point of the moon also gives a sense of connection with Himalayas to Kanyakumari", the prime minister said while addressing Team ISRO at the space agency's Telemetry Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC).

"I was impatient and eager to visit and salute you for your diligence, dedication, courage, devotion and passion”, Modi said with his voice choked with emotion. "India is on the moon! We have our national pride placed on the moon." Hailing the role of women scientists in the success of Chandrayaan-3, he said, "the country's Nari Shakti played a big role".

The prime minister also declared August 23 as the 'National Space Day' aimed at celebrating the spirit of Science, Technology and Innovation, and inspiring people for eternity.

ISRO Chairman S Somanath briefed briefed Modi about the Chandrayaan-3 mission and its progress.

In his address, Modi said the new generation should come forward to scientifically prove the astronomical formulae in the scriptures of India and to study them anew.

On naming the point where Chandrayaan-2 left its imprints as Tiranga point, Modi said this will serve as an inspiration for every effort that India makes and remind us that failure is not the end. "Success is a guarantee where there is strong willpower." Chandrayaan-2 had failed in its lunar phase when its lander Vikram crashed into the surface of the moon minutes before the touchdown following anomalies in the braking system in the lander while attempting a landing on September 7, 2019. Chandrayaan's maiden mission was in 2008.

A large number of people, many of them waving national flags, accorded a grand welcome to the PM outside the HAL airport and at Jalahalli Cross, close to ISTRAC. He also held a road-show for a distance as people who lined up on either side of the roads cheered boisterously.

Addressing a gathering outside the HAL airport, Modi said people from across the globe who believe in science and the future are filled with enthusiasm over India’s achievement.

At another function organised at the Delhi airport by the BJP on his arrival, Modi said the excitement generated by the success of Chandrayaan-3 has to be channelised to power scientific temper among youngsters to realise the dream of a developed India by 2047.

Modi also said technology needs to be used to deliver good governance, last-mile delivery of services and for improving the quality of life of the common people.

"I have directed different departments to use space sciences, power of satellites for quick response delivery of services with transparency and perfection." In his interaction with ISRO scientists, Modi said in this period of 21st century, the country which takes the lead in science and technology will move ahead. "Today, the name of Chandrayaan is resonating among children of India. Every child is seeing his or her future in the scientists".

The prime minister also requested ISRO to organise national hackathons on "Space Technology in Governance" in collaboration with various departments of the Centre and state governments.

"I am confident that this National Hackathon will make our governance more effective and provide modern solutions to the countrymen," he said.

"India is on the moon, he said, adding, "we have our national pride played on the moon." "We reached where no one else had reached. We did what no one else had ever done. This is today’s India, a fearless India, India with fighting spirit," the prime minister added.

"This is an India, which thinks new and thinks in novel ways, which goes to the dark zones and spreads the rays of light. India of 21st century has the capacity to solve major problems of the world.

"Today, from trade to technology, India is being counted among among the countries standing in the first row. In the journey from 'third row' to 'first row', institutions like our ISRO have played a huge role." Hailing ISRO, the prime minister said it has taken "Make In India" to the Moon.

On Wednesday evening as the Lander Module of Chandrayaan-3 successfully touched down on the lunar surface, Modi had joined the ISRO team at Mission Operations Complex (MOX) at ISTRAC virtually from Johannesburg, where he was attending the 15th BRICS summit.

With the touchdown on Moon after a flawless 41-day voyage to script history and less than a week after a Russian lander headed to the lunar south pole crashed, India became the fourth country to master the technology of soft-landing on the Moon after the US, China and erstwhile Soviet Union.

But no country has ever landed on the treacherous south pole that scientists believe could hold important reserves of frozen water and precious elements.

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