India committed to empower young minds: PM

New Delhi, Aug 12: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday addressed the 18th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics via a video message.
On the occasion, the Prime Minister expressed joy in connecting with more than 300 participants from 64 countries, and warmly welcomed them to India for the International Olympiad. “In India, tradition meets innovation, spirituality meets science, and curiosity meets creativity. For centuries, Indians have been observing the skies and asking big questions”, said Modi. He cited the example of Aryabhatta, who in the 5th Century invented zero and was the first to state that the Earth rotates on its axis. “Literally, he started from zero and made history!” the Prime Minister noted.
“India hosts one of the world’s highest Astronomical Observatories in Ladakh, situated at 4,500 metres above sea level. It is close enough to shake hands with the stars!”, Modi remarked. He further highlighted the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope in Pune, describing it as one of the world’s most sensitive radio telescopes, aiding in decoding the mysteries of pulsars, quasars and galaxies. The Prime Minister stated that India proudly contributes to global mega-science projects like the Square Kilometre Array and LIGO-India. He recalled that two years ago, Chandrayaan-3 made history by becoming the first mission to successfully land near the Moon’s South Pole. Modi added that India has also set its sights on the Sun with the Aditya-L1 solar observatory, which monitors solar flares, storms, and the Sun’s mood swings. He shared that last month, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla completed his historic mission to the International Space Station, calling it a proud moment for all Indians and an inspiration for young explorers.
Affirming that India is deeply committed to nurturing scientific curiosity and empowering young minds, the Prime Minister highlighted that over 10 million students are understanding STEM concepts through hands-on experimentation in Atal Tinkering Labs, thereby creating a culture of learning and innovation. To make access to knowledge more democratic, Modi informed that the ‘One Nation One Subscription’ scheme has been launched. It provides access to reputed international journals, free of cost, to millions of students and researchers. He remarked that India is a leading country in the participation of women in STEM domains. The Prime Minister stated that under various initiatives, billions of dollars are being invested in the research ecosystem. He extended an invitation to young minds from across the world to study, research, and collaborate in India. “Who knows the next big scientific breakthrough may well be born from such partnerships!” he added.
Encouraging participants to align their efforts with the goal of benefiting humanity, Modi urged young explorers to consider how space science can further improve lives on Earth. He posed critical questions: How can farmers be provided even better weather forecasts? Can we predict natural disasters? Can we monitor forest fires and melting glaciers? Can we build better communication for remote areas? The Prime Minister emphasized that the future of science lies in the hands of young minds, and in solving real-world problems with imagination and compassion. He urged them to ask “what is out there?” and also reflect on how it can help us improve the lives of people here on earth.
“India believes in the power of international collaboration, and that this Olympiad reflects that spirit”, exclaimed the Prime Minister, noting that this edition of the Olympiad is the largest so far. He thanked the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research for making the event possible. Modi encouraged participants to aim high and dream big. “And remember, in India, we believe that the sky is not the limit, it’s just the beginning!”, concluded the Prime Minister.