Chandrayaan mission: The hugs and the speech that turned failure into success

Bengaluru: The emotional hug given to the previous ISRO Chairman Sivan and PM Modi's 24-minute address to the space scientists and the global audience after the failure of Chandrayaan-2 mission is a memorable feat.

What the Prime Minister achieved, which he always does to build success stories out of the brickbats he receives for his unblemished politics, was to turn failure into a brutal success.

The failure of Chandrayaan-2 to make a soft landing on the moon’s south pole could have put not only the scientists, but also the countrymen into a pall of gloom. Modi stood firm addressing the ISRO scientists next morning in Bengaluru to lift the fallen aspirations in their endeavor to become a space superpower.

Probably, Modi was the only global leader who had the potential to move millions and make the scientists believe in their capacities. After all, they were carrying the burden of a billion aspirations to succeed.

PM Modi, like his predecessors, Jawaharlal Nehru, Atal Behari Vajpayee and others, understands very well the political significance and value of success in space.

Success in technology and space are a matter of national pride as they actually run and rule the modern world.

Modi also managed the narrative around ISRO's space missions. In Chandrayaan-2, he found Ex-ISRO chief Sivan who symbolised the image of a humble disadvantaged rural boy making efforts for a spatial glory just like Modi, a former tea seller, is doing in all fields.

When Sivan broke down in Modi's arms, and the PM patting him on his back and embracing him and literally wiping away his tears sent a strong message to the ISRO scientists, and one among them in the crowd was the present ISRO chief S Somnath.

Modi's prophetic words that failures would not deter India from its ambitions, and setbacks would not stop the country from pursuing its goals. "No matter what the odds, India will power its way to achieve its legitimate goals and take our destined place in the world," he said.

This must have driven home the point, emboldening Somnath to continue his romance with Chandrayaan mission. And today, his team stands tall after completing a successful mission, and making India proud by making the first country in the world to land on an uncharted South Pole of the Moon.

It is worth recalling some quotes from PM Modi's speech on the failure of Chandrayaan-2.

He had said: "We came very close, but we will need to cover more ground in the times to come. As important as the final result is the journey and the effort. I can proudly say that the effort was worth it, and so was the journey."

Infusing confidence into the Chandrayaan-2 team, PM Modi had said, "To our scientists, I want to say, India is with you. You are exceptional professionals who have made an incredible contribution to national progress. True to your nature, you ventured into a place where no one had ever been before."

Strengthening their self-confidence, PM Modi had said, "The learnings from today will make us stronger and better. There is a new dawn and a brighter tomorrow very soon. We are full of confidence that, when it comes to our space program, the best is yet to come."

He further said: Our determination to touch the moon has become even stronger, we came very close but we need to cover more ground. Inscience, there is no such thing as failure. There are only experiments and efforts.

"We will rise to the occasion and scale newer heights of success. To our scientists I want to say - India is with you. You are exceptional professionals who have made an incredible contribution to national progress," he added. (UNI)