“I salute all passengers who have been sent in Chandrayaan 3”: Rajasthan minister Ashok Chandna faces flak for his ignorance [Watch]

India scripted history on Wednesday at 6.04 PM when Chandrayaan 3’s Vikram, the lander, made a successful touchdown on the moon. It was indeed a joyous and momentous victory for Indians. Celebrations began the moment Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) chief Sreedhara Panicker Somanath confirmed that India was on the moon and successful landing of Chandrayaan-. He said, “This is not our work alone, this is the work of a generation of Isro scientists”.

With this accomplishment, India has made history as its Moon mission became the first to land in the lunar south pole region.

Several eminent leaders, brands, Bollywood celebs and crores of India burst into celebrations

Honourable Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, who was watching the event live from South Africa where was attending the Brics summit congratulated the team ISRO and said, “We have reached where no other country could. It’s a joyous occasion.”

Congress leader and Rajasthan Sports Minister Ashok Chandna also congratulated ISRO and beamed with pride. However, his congratulatory message didn’t go down well with netizens.

In the video message, the Congress leader hailed the passengers aboard India’s third lunar mission.

The minister said, “Hum kamyaab huye aur safe landing hui toh jo yaatri gaye hain unko salam karta hoon aur hamara desh ek kadam aur science mein, space research ke andar aage badha usko sabhi deshwasiyo ko badhai deta hoon (If we are successful and we achieve safe landing on the moon, I would like to salute the passengers. Our nation has taken another step-in science and space research and I would like to congratulate the citizens of India).”

Vikram Lander captured several images of the lunar surface during the powered descent.

Rover Pragyan has ramped down from Vikram lander and has taken a walk on the moon.

“Made in India, Made for the Moon, The Ch-3 Rover ramped down from the Lander and India took a walk on the moon!” Isro tweeted.

What is Pragyan rover? What will it do on the moon now?

Pragyan rover will now carry out a series of experiments on the lunar surface for the next 14 days and send those data to the lander. One will analyse the chemical composition of the lunar surface; another will determine the elemental composition of lunar soil and rocks around the landing site.

The successful Moon mission makes India the fourth country to achieve a soft landing on the lunar surface after the US, China, and the erstwhile Soviet Union, and the first to land a craft near the Moon’s south pole.