Dr.S.Somanath, Distinguished Scientist, Chairman, ISRO and Space Commission, Secretary, Department of Space today delivered lecture on ‘Indian Space Odyssey: In Search of New Frontiers’ at the prestigious Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture 2024, hosted by Akashvani at Rang Bhawan in New Delhi
The lecture began with a special recorded message from Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, who praised the towering personality of Sardar Patel and his pivotal role in the unification of India. The President also acknowledged Akashvani’s contributions as a national broadcaster and its dedication to the Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture series since 1955. She expressed her best wishes for the success of the lecture with a special mention of the eminent speaker and India’s Space programme.
In his lecture, Dr. Somanath provided insights into India’s Space Vision 2047, highlighting the mission of an Indian landing on the Moon. He introduced the concept of a Bhartiya Antriksh Space Station as a launching point for lunar exploration and spoke extensively about the development of reusable rockets. Dr. Somanath emphasized ISRO’s significant improvements in lander technology and shared plans for future exploration, including missions to Venus to study its orbit, surface, and subsurface after successful missions to the Moon and Mars.
The ISRO Chairman highlighted the ambitious programs set to propel India ahead of many nations, driven by the vision of “Harnessing Space Technology for National Development.” ISRO focuses on meeting the country’s application needs in natural resource management, satellite communication, and navigation, while also inspiring young minds in space science. Over the years, ISRO has developed indigenous capabilities in building satellites, space transportation systems, and associated ground segments.
Dr. Somanath praised India’s journey through space as a testament to its indomitable spirit and commitment to leveraging space technology for the betterment of humanity. He emphasized that India’s space program will continue to inspire and shape a world where space technology fosters a safer and better planet. For over 600 college students, attending the lecture was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, allowing them to hear firsthand from the distinguished scientist about various government initiatives aimed at opening the space sector to private enterprises.
Prasar Bharati, India’s public service broadcaster organized the Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture 2024 on October 26th at Rang Bhawan Auditorium of Akashvani. This prestigious annual lecture series commemorates the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhai Patel, the Iron Man of India, and began with an inaugural address by Shri C. Rajagopalachari in 1955. This year’s lecture, titled “Indian Space Odyssey: In Search of New Frontiers,” was delivered by Dr. S. Somanath. In his inaugural address, Chairman Shri Sehgal thanked the Hon’ble President for blessing the lecture and introduced the audience to the Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture, highlighting Patel’s contributions to post-independence India. He praised Dr. Somanath’s significant achievements in space science, noting that both Sardar Patel and India’s progress in space exemplify the nation’s robust determination.
The event was attended by CEO of Prasar Bharati, Shri Gaurav Dwivedi, Chairman Shri Navneet Sehgal, and Director General of Akashvani, Dr. Pragya Paliwal Gaur.
