A team of scientists, technicians and officers from ISRO involved in the successful launching of INSAT 3E and RESOURCESAT recently, called on the Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, here today. ISRO Chairman and Secretary of Department of Space Shri G. Madhavan Nair introduced the team members and presented a model of RESOURCESAT and some of the first pictures by the satellite to the Prime Minister. Most of these photographs were taken from the orbit of almost 820 kilometres above the earth.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister congratulated the team members and said ~every achievement of India fills us with joy. But the achievements of the Indian Space Research Organisation bring a special pride to all Indians. They give a literal meaning to our affirmation that ~Sky is not the limit for India’s ambitions and achievements~. I often say that India is ready for a long leap You in ISRO have already taken this long leap into space and have catapulted India into the front ranks of space faring nations.~

The Prime Minister further added, ~What is especially heartening is ISRO has achieved this on the basis of self-reliance. You have successfully overcome the challenge of technology-denial by others. This has raised India’s prestige in the international community. The production and launch of the INSAT 3E and RESOURCESAT satellites prove our outstanding capabilities in design, fabrication and tracking of satellite systems. I applaud you for now aiming higher. I have no doubt that your recent successes will be a reliable foundation for India’s Lunar programme – ~Chandrayaan-1~. Few nations can boast of such a high rate of successful operations in a calendar year. True, there have also been a few failures when we look back at ISRO’s long journey. But these failures did not deter you. In life, only those succeed who are ready to fail, but are never ready to accept defeat. I congratulate one and all in the ISRO Family for your sterling work in ensuring that India remains at the vanguard of space technology. Keep up the good work~.