BENGALURU, Sept 7: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi consoled an emotional ISRO chief K Sivan outside the agency’s headquarters in Bengaluru, India hours after Chandrayaan-2’s Vikram lander lost contact with ground stations and failed to make a soft landing on the lunar surface.
In a viral video, Modi is seen hugging Sivan as the latter broke down and patted him on his back.
India announces schedule of Moon mission's soft landing
Prior to this, in a live address to the nation, Modi had asked ISRO scientists not to get disheartened by the hurdles in the moon mission and asserted that there will be a “new dawn and better tomorrow”.
Modi, who reached ISRO headquarters earlier on Friday to witness the historic moment, said India was proud of the scientists and stands with them at this hour, according to Indian Express Online.
“We came very close but we need to cover more ground in the times to come. Learning from today will make us stronger and better. The nation is proud of our space program and scientists. The best is yet to come in our space program. There are new frontiers to discover and new places to go. India is with you,” Indian Express Online quoted Modi as saying.
“Effort was worth it and so was the journey. It will make us stronger and better. There will be a new dawn and better tomorrow… I am with you, nation is with you,” he added. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is India's space agency.
