Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam', which will provide 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies, is a gift by a grateful nation to the women scientists of space agency ISRO.

Initiating a discussion in the Lok Sabha on the success of Chandrayaan-3 mission and other achievements of the nation in the space sector, Singh said of the 424 foreign satellites launched by India so far, 389 have been launched in the last nine years of the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He said with the successful launch of foreign satellites, India's space sector is rapidly gaining a prominent place in the world.

“This special session of Parliament is dedicated to the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam'. In such a situation, I consider the bill as a gift presented by a grateful nation to the women scientists of ISRO, and along with them the entire female scientific community of India,” he said amidst thumping of desks by members.

He said the House and the nation salute, appreciate, and express gratitude to the women scientists of ISRO, and every Indian daughter.

“First of all, I heartily congratulate ISRO scientists and the broader Indian scientific community for this success. It is the result of the intellectual capacity of our ISRO scientists and their dedication towards the development of the nation, that today our nation has stood in the line of leading nations in the world of science,” he said.

The defence minister said the entire nation is proud of these scientists.

“If Chandrayaan-3 has set foot on the Moon, then not only is it a success for ISRO, it is also an indication of the scientific eco-system of our country, in which crores of Indians have contributed,” he said.

Singh said after Independence, the country has moved forward step by step to reach this stage.

“Therefore, if today we reach any achievement, then all those who gave any kind of support in this journey and gave birth to scientific temperament within the nation are equally deserving of congratulations,” he said.

Singh said it is a natural development of the country's social, cultural and scientific trend that has been going on for thousands of years.

“The secrets of this success are hidden in our past. A past where scientificity existed as nature. Where there was harmony between science and faith,” he said.

However, Singh said due to foreign invaders, slight backwardness had set in for some time, but the country has once again stood up roaring and with more strength than before, and is ready to touch the sun, moon and stars.

The defence minister said India will carry out more such missions and the moon mission was just the beginning.

In the coming times we will reach Mars and Saturn and our country will wave its flag even from those places where no one has been able to reach till now, he said.

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