E-Paper
Resounding Cheers: Chandrayaan-3 success inspires euphoria & patriotism among students in U.P.
Despite heavy rainfall, curious students and enthusiastic teachers attended school to witness the live stream of Chandrayaan-3’s lunar landing in various government and private schools across Lucknow .
LUCKNOW When the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Chandrayaan-3 Vikram lander accomplished a successful soft landing on the Moon’s south pole at 6:04 pm (IST), educational institutions across Uttar Pradesh resonated with chants of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Sare Jahan se Achcha Hindustan Humara,” as thousands of students and teachers erupted in joy.
Despite heavy rainfall, curious students and enthusiastic teachers attended school to witness the live stream of Chandrayaan-3’s lunar landing in various government and private schools across Lucknow and other regions of Uttar Pradesh. Even madrasa students observed this historic moment with great enthusiasm.
To create a fitting atmosphere, several schools also crafted models of Chandrayaan-3. Holding the national flag aloft, students and teachers raised spirited slogans in honour of ISRO scientists as the lander touched down on the lunar surface.
A majority of Uttar Pradesh government schools remained open on Wednesday evening to broadcast the event live for students, as per the directive issued by the education department. However, attendance was slightly affected due to heavy rainfall in the state capital during the evening.
At UPS Nizampur in the Gosaiganj area of Lucknow, over 100 students gathered to witness the event on their teacher’s laptop. Anupam Kumar Gupta, an assistant teacher at the school, elucidated the significance of India’s lunar mission to the students.
In Primary School Kamalpur, located in Block Rajpura in Meerut, students watched the event on an LCD TV brought by a teacher from her home. Chinki, a fourth-grade student, expressed, “It was a moment of pride for all of us.”
The students of Primary School Kampa Baldirai Sultanpur revelled in the successful completion of the mission. The students celebrated the occasion with thunderous applause, and some even adorned astronaut attire.
Meanwhile, La Martinière College live-streamed the event for its hostel students. St. Joseph’s, Lucknow Public School, and several other private institutions arranged auditorium screenings, allowing students to witness the proceedings on a massive screen.
GD Goenka Public School in Lucknow, in collaboration with CBSE Sahodaya Schools’ Complex Lucknow, hosted a public event to experience this unique achievement. The event encompassed the live telecast of Chandrayaan-3’s landing on a large projector screen, captivating presentations by astronomers and astrophysicists, and interactive sessions that engaged the audience in meaningful discussions about the impact of space exploration on the nation’s progress. It also provided an avenue to inspire and educate the next generation about the marvels of science and technology, while also acknowledging India’s remarkable feats in space exploration.
The event was graced by the presence of District Magistrate Surya Pal Gangwar, along with various other city dignitaries. Shreya Verma, an 11th-grade student, exclaimed, “It’s unbelievable; we’ve become the first country to land on the Moon’s South Pole. What an achievement! I’m so proud of our country and the ISRO team.”
Samriddhi Gulati, a seventh-grade student, said, “We never comprehended the magnitude of Chandrayaan Mission 3 until we watched it live and witnessed the efforts of the ISRO team.” Similarly, Vivaan Mishra, a sixth-grade student, said, “What a historic moment! We all held our breath in anticipation of Chandrayaan 3’s landing, and we have triumphed. I also aspire to be a scientist and bring pride to my country one day.”
Uttar Pradesh minister Kapil Dev Aggarwal joined students at City Montessori School, Lucknow, to observe the mission’s landing. Mala Mehra, the principal of Hoerner College, said, “Words fail to express the pride we feel as a nation for the Chandrayaan 3 mission and its successful outcome. The entire day at Hoerner College, Lucknow, was dedicated to sharing the journey of this mission as students watched in awe, and the excitement for the landing was palpable.”
ISRO scientist Ritu Karidhal, an LU Alumnus
For students of Lucknow University, it was an extraordinary moment as they gathered at Malviya Hall to witness the live streaming of Chandrayaan-3’s landing. LU Vice-Chancellor Professor AK Rai commended Ritu Karidhal, one of the lead scientists at ISRO responsible for executing the third lunar exploration mission. Ritu Karidhal completed her post-graduation from LU’s Physics Department, subsequently pursuing a PhD within the department. Merely six months later, she was selected by ISRO and joined as a scientist. Her PhD studies were supervised by Professor Manisha Gupta, focusing on materials.
During her time at LU, Dr Ritu Karidhal engaged with students, sharing insights about the Mars Mission, which was chiefly led by young scientists and accomplished at a remarkably low cost on the international scale, within a record 18 months. Karidhal had interacted with students during a lecture on Mangalyan and Chandrayan-2, an event organised by Lucknow University as an extension of the 2019 convocation.
Prayers and Rituals in Temples
In Lucknow, a group of individuals performed a ‘havan’ and offered prayers for the triumphant landing of Chandrayaan-3’s lander. These acts of devotion took place at Hanuman Temple and Mankameshwar Temple. Similarly, after the namaz at Eidgah, people extended their prayers for the success of Chandrayaan-3.
