Tag: MISSION

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Panel asks Indian missions to promote tourist destinations

There was sufficient time for the two ministries to have the transition formalities in place, it further noted…reports Asian Lite News

Taking cognisance of a study by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), which estimated that tourism in India would not regain its pre-pandemic levels till 2026, a Parliamentary panel has emphasised that Indian missions abroad must ensure promotion and marketing of tourist destinations and products.

The Standing Panel on Transport, Tourism, and Culture, in a recent report, recommended this after observing that there were 10.93 million foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) in India during pre-pandemic year 2019, but the current FTA numbers are still well below the pre-pandemic levels.

The committee, on being informed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) representatives that the tourism officers posted in Indian missions abroad have tourism promotion as additional charge, recommended that as responsibility for tourism promotion abroad now rests solely with the Indian missions, the tourism officers may be given sole charge as far as possible as it is necessary for the transitional change from the overseas tourist offices to the missions in many countries and to create confidence among the stakeholders that the missions are attaching top priority to tourism promotion.

The tourism officers were designated by MEA in October 2021. However the panel was informed that since then the tourism officers have had only one meeting with the Indian stakeholders a year back.

The committee was also informed by the stakeholders that after the closure of the overseas tourist officers, India did not figure in the brochures of the overseas tourism agents, thus adversely impacting the prospects of Indian tourism.

In its interaction with the MEA, the committee was further informed that the overseas tourist offices had a lot of funds available for this purpose and the Ministry of Tourism is still having discussions with the MEA on how to place a separate budget for tourism at the disposal of the MEA, which would enable them to give brochure support for the agents and other promotional work.

The committee was surprised that these aspects of budget for promotion and campaign schedule for the missions have not yet been resolved as the overseas tourist offices had gradually been shut down over the last two years and only the last eight were closed in March 2023.

There was sufficient time for the two ministries to have the transition formalities in place, it further noted.

On further query, the panel was informed that the MEA is in consultation with the Tourism Ministry to jointly address such concerns arising out of closure of overseas India tourism offices. The committee recommended that the Tourism Ministry may settle the matters expeditiously so that the MEA would have both the funds and the programme to go ahead with the work relating to tourism promotion.

The panel also said that the exclusion of India from tourism brochures is a major issue in the absence of which the visibility of Indian tourism places would be difficult to maintain.

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Britain praises India for Moon landing

UK Space Agency, Parliamentarians and High Commissioner to India  Alex Ellis call the event as a giant step forward for the whole world…reports Asian Lite News

After India scripted history with the with the Chandryaan-3 successfully performing a soft landing on the moon, UK Space Agency congratulated India, describing ISRO’s achievement as an “incredible” moment in space history.

“History made! Congratulations to @isro,” the UK Space Agency said in its post on X. “AOS #Chandrayaan3 lander! We read you loud and clear, having achieved “Acquisition Of Signal” direct from the lander on the Moon’s surface! Congratulations to @ISRO, and thanks to our colleagues coordinating support at @esaoperations! Here’s to making history once again!” Goonhilly Earth Station in Cornwall, UK, posted on X.

Director of Championing Space at the UK Space Agency Professor Anu Ojha OBE also congratulated India on the successful soft-landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon.

He said that the successful landing of Chandryaan-3 in the moon’s southern polar region is evidence that we are living in a new space age.

“Congratulations to India on this amazing feat of engineering and perseverance. The successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 in the southern polar region of the moon is further evidence that we are living in a new space age, with space agencies and companies across the world setting their sights on the Moon and beyond,” Anu Ojha OBE said in a statement.

He further said, “This current crop of missions is focused on new areas of opportunity — there are important scientific discoveries to be made about the presence of water on the lunar surface, which could support humans to live and work there for extended periods of time.”

The other three countries that had earlier landed on Moon were the US, the erstwhile USSR, and China.

Meanwhile, British High Commissioner Alex Ellis also congratulated India and said ‘Bhadhi Ho’. “A big moment for India for the world and…” Ellis wrote on X. “Badhai Ho” “Touchdown! Congratulations to India 🇮🇳 and@isroon making history with the successful #Chandrayaan3 mission – a giant step forward for the whole world,” the British High Commission said on X.

Meanwhile, Lord Rami Ranger while congratulating India on the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 said history has been made as no other country has landed its craft on the Moon’s south pole.

The member of parliament said: “Today, history was made as no other country landed their craft on the south pole of the Moon. It was a very emotional day for all of us. I saw the touchdown. It was a nerve-wracking experience for all those people.”

Ranger said many local Indian companies and engineering marvels contributed to the making of the magnificent craft and also engineers, and scientists who worked tirelessly for over many months to make this landing a successful one. “The whole world was watching,” he said.

The Parliament member further said: “Lots of people felt proud that India has landed a craft on the moon. Successfully joined the club of just four nations, Russia, America, China and now India. To be in that elite group. So this is a special Independence Day present on the 76th Independence Day when we are already celebrating the remarkable success of India.”

Member of British Parliament Virendra Sharma also congratulated Indian scientists on the success of Chandrayaan-3.

“I congratulate India, Indian people and all those who are involved in Chandrayaan-3’s landing on the moon this afternoon. The whole world is happy. Indians are all over the world are happy. Good luck India. Best wishes for the future,” he said.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Indian High Commission in London celebrated the successful landing of ISRO’s third lunar mission Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon. People at the High Commission raised slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mataram’. Chandryaan-3 on Wednesday successfully performed a soft landing on the Moon.

ISRO tweeted: “Chandrayaan-3 Mission: ‘India, I reached my destination and you too!’ Chandrayaan-3 has successfully soft-landed on the moon! Congratulations, India!” British High Commissioner Alex Ellis also congratulated India on Chandrayaan-3’s successful landing and said ‘Badhai Ho’.

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Indian High Commission celebrates

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The Indian High Commission in London on Wednesday celebrated the successful landing of ISRO’s third lunar mission Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon. People at the High Commission raised slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mataram’. Chandryaan-3 on Wednesday successfully performed a soft landing on the Moon.

ISRO tweeted: “Chandrayaan-3 Mission: ‘India, I reached my destination and you too!’ Chandrayaan-3 has successfully soft-landed on the moon! Congratulations, India!” 

As the Vikram lander carrying the Pragyaan rover in its belly touched down on the lunar surface, it marked a giant leap in India’s spacefaring journey providing a well-deserved finale to ISRO’s long years of toil.

Special screenings of the soft landing were organized across the country, including schools science centres, and public institutions. ISRO made the live action available on the ISRO website, its YouTube channel, Facebook, and public broadcaster DD National TV.

The spacecraft was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota on July 14. (ANI)

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ISRO chief congratulates country

That’s the great word of comfort that we are receiving for pursuing the inspirational work that we are doing for the nation,” Somanath said addressing the ISRO team at the Mission Operations Complex…reports Asian Lite News

“We have achieved a soft landing on the Moon. India is on the Moon,” said Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chief S. Somanath on Wednesday, August 23, after Chandrayaan-3 landed successfully on the lunar surface.

“The Honourable PM called me and conveyed his greetings to each one of you and your family for the wonderful work you did in ISRO. Thanks to him for the support he is giving to us for missions like Chandrayaan-3 and missions that are in the offing.

That’s the great word of comfort that we are receiving for pursuing the inspirational work that we are doing for the nation,” Somanath said addressing the ISRO team at the Mission Operations Complex.

Somanath also acknowledged the contribution of a generation of leadership and scientists of the country’s space agency for the Chandrayaan-3 mission’s success, and said the achievement is an “incremental progress” and “a huge one”.

He thanked all those who prayed for the mission’s success, and ISRO veterans like A S Kiran Kumar, the space agency’s former chief. “They have been helping so much, they were part of the team to help them to get the confidence and get the reviews done, and to ensure that nothing goes with any mistakes,” he added.

India’s Moon mission Chandrayaan-3 touched down on the lunar south pole at 6.04 pm today, launching the country to an exclusive club of four and making it the first country to land on the uncharted surface.

With this touchdown on the Moon in the second attempt in four years, India has become the fourth country to master the technology of soft landing on the lunar surface after the US, China, and the erstwhile Soviet Union.

Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 and its objectives are to demonstrate safe and soft landing on the lunar surface, roving on the Moon, and to conduct in-situ scientific experiments.

Chandrayaan-2 had failed in its lunar phase when its lander, Vikram, crashed into the surface of the Moon minutes before the touchdown following anomalies in the braking system in the lander while attempting a landing on September 7, 2019. Chandrayaan’s maiden mission was in 2008.

The Rs 600 crore Chandrayaan-3 mission was launched on July 14 onboard Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM-3) rocket, for a 41-day voyage to reach near the lunar south pole. The soft-landing took place days after Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft crashed into the Moon after spinning out of control.

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India sets eyes on the sun

ISRO Chairman Somanath says the Aditya-L1 satellite for the Sun mission will be launched during the first week of September…reports Asian Lite News

After its giant leap with the Chandrayaan-3 lander module successfully landing on the moon’s South Pole, India has now set its goal on the Sun.

Speaking to reporters ISRO Chairman S. Somanath said the Aditya-L1 satellite for the Sun mission will be launched during the first week of September. According to him, the coronagraphy satellite will take about 120 days to travel about 15 lakh km to reach its destination to study the solar atmosphere.

The Aditya-L1 spacecraft — the first space-based Indian observatory to study the Sun — is getting ready for the launch at India’s rocket port in Sriharikota. According to the ISRO, the spacecraft will be placed into a halo orbit around the first Lagrange point, L1, of the Sun-Earth system.

The satellite around the L1 point has the major advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without occultation/eclipses. The Aditya-L1 satellite — named after the Sun God — will be carried by Indian rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). The satellite will be shortly integrated with the rocket.

The Sun mission will be followed with the Gaganyaan abort mission demonstration- which is part of India’s human space mission. The Gaganyaan abort mission will happen during September end or during the first week of October this year, Somanath said.

The Indian space agency is also planning to orbit INSAT 3DS satellite with its GSLV rocket this year, Somanath added. After that, will be the orbiting of Anwesha satellite and XPoSAT- a X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite.

It will be the country’s dedicated polarimetry mission to study the dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources in extreme conditions, the government said. The launch of the Radar Imaging Satellite – RISAT-1B – aboard the PSLV rocket is planned during 2023.

The Indian space agency is also planning to orbit two IDRSS (Indian Data Relay Satellite System) satellites. These rocketing missions apart, ISRO will be testing the various systems that will go into its LVM3 rocket for the maiden human space mission.

ISRO has also slated a flight to Venus — Venus Mission — in 2024. Whether it is going to be a ‘Night Flight to Venus’ will be known later.

Earlier, on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is currently attending the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg said, “India is on the moon!” celebrating ISRO’s feat.

The countdown of the Vikram hovered at 150 metres, then 130 metres, 50 metres and decelerated as approached the moon’s service before finally touching down on the lunar surface. 

As the Vikram lander carrying the Pragyaan rover in its belly touched down on the lunar surface, it marked a giant leap in India’s spacefaring journey providing a well-deserved finale to ISRO’s long years of toil.

This makes India becomes the fourth country – after US, China, and Russia – to have successfully landed on the moon’s surface, it has earned a place in record books as the first to touchdown on the south side of Earth’s only natural satellite.

Billions of people across India and globally closely monitoring the much-awaited event. More so after Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft crashed on Sunday after spinning out of control.

In the run-up to the scheduled soft landing of Chandrayaan-3, people across the country prayed to God in all denominations of places of worship for a successful mission.

Special screenings of the soft landing were organized across the country, including schools and science centers, and public institutions. ISRO made the live actions available on the ISRO website, its YouTube channel, Facebook, and public broadcaster DD National TV.

The scheduled timing for the soft landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the moon’s south pole on August 23, 2023 (Wednesday), was 18:04 IST, with the powered descent of Vikram lander at 1745 IST.

ISRO had been releasing a series of up-close images of the moon, assisting the lander module in determining its position (latitude and longitude) by matching them against an onboard moon reference map.

Historically, spacecraft missions to the Moon have primarily targeted the equatorial region due to its favourable terrain and operating conditions. However, the lunar south pole presents a vastly different and more challenging terrain compared to the equatorial region

The spacecraft was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota on July 14.

A GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle was used for the launch of the spacecraft that was placed in the lunar orbit on August 5 and since then it was through a series of orbital manoeuvres been lowered closer to the moon’s surface.

Ever since the July 14 launch, ISRO had been maintaining that the health of the spacecraft remained “normal”.

On August 5, Chandrayaan-3 was successfully inserted into the lunar orbit with multiple key manoeuvres thereafter.

Then on August 17, the mission marked another giant leap in its lunar quest as the ‘Vikram’ lander module of the spacecraft successfully separated from the propulsion module on Thursday. The Chandrayaan-3 mission’s lander is named after Vikram Sarabhai (1919–1971), who is widely regarded as the father of the Indian space programme.

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Indian mission marks partition horrors Remembrance Day

Vikram Doraiswami noted that women and children suffered extra during the partition. He stated that everyone lost something during the partition…reports Asian Lite News

Indian High Commission in the UK on Monday hosted a photo exhibition and a ceremony to mark ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’. On the occasion, the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami inaugurated an exhibition of photographs of the partition horrors. 

The ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day was observed at India House in London’s Aldwych. People present at the ceremony watched the photographs of the partition displayed on the screen.

On the occasion, Vikram Doraiswami, High Commissioner of India to the UK, said, that India’s celebration of independence was always somewhat mixed as it came at a “very high price.” He said that they cannot undo what happened in history and how much pain it brought to the people.

In his address, Vikram Doraiswami said, “We are of course habituated to celebrating our independence tomorrow, 15th August, with the spirit of a nation and people who found our own voice and own destiny and our own capacity to chart our own destiny in an epic freedom struggle that in many senses was unique and certainly defined the age that became the age that ended colonialism. But, our joy and our celebration of independence was always a somewhat mixed one because that independence came at a very heavy human price.”

Vikram Doraiswami noted that women and children suffered extra during the partition. He stated that everyone lost something during the partition. He noted that India’s history puts upon the people a moral obligation to ensure that people in India live in a manner that is appropriate to the memory of all those who died and who were displaced during the partition.

“We cannot undo what has happened in history but we can remember what happened. How much pain it brought to people, in particular, women and children who suffered extra during partition, all who lost either a loved one or who lost a sense of their own identity. After all, not everybody lost family but everybody lost something. And that is for all of us irrespective of which part of India we come from,” the Indian Envoy said.

“So, the purpose of this exercise today is to remember what our history, what our history covers and what our memory has sometimes led us to forget. It is said that those who forget the lessons of history are condemned to remember it again and again. This is the last thing we should want to remember again in a sense in the form of repetition. Our history enjoins upon us and our civilizational heritage enjoins upon us a certain moral obligation to ensure that we in India live in a manner that is appropriate to the memory of all those who died and all those who were displaced in partition and that we ensure that we never allow those tragedies to defecate. That responsibility is ours and it’s ours to pass on to our subsequent generations including our children and grandchildren,” he added.

Taking to its official Twitter handle, Indian High Commission in UK stated, “@HCI_London hosted a photo exhibition & a ceremony to mark #PartitionHorrorsRemembranceDay today. Members of diaspora shared memories of the suffering of all communities during Partition, reciting poems and observing a minute’s silence to mark this #DayofRememberance.” 

One of the partition survivors who came to India during the partition shared her experience through a poem. Speaking to ANI, she said, “We were told that you are going for a few days and we will come back. We did not even take many clothes as we were told that we have to come back.” She also recalled her past house and how they lived before the partition.  (ANI)

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Russia launches its first mission to the moon in nearly 50 years

The lander has several cameras and they will make timelapse footage of the landing and an HDR wide-angle image of the moonscape…reports Asian Lite News

Russia on Friday launched Luna 25, the country’s first lunar mission in 47 years. Luna-25  took off from the Vostochny launch facility in Russia’s Far East, Russia-based TASS news agency reported.

Launched aboard a Soyuz-2 Fregat rocket, Luna 25 took flight at 8:10 am (local time) on Friday, CNN reported. The Fregat booster separated from the rocket’s third stage approximately 564 seconds after the launch, according to TASS reported. The Luna-25 spacecraft will separate from the booster about an hour after the launch. The flight to the moon will take up to 5.5 days.

The spacecraft will spend between three and seven days about 100 kilometres above the lunar surface before reaching the Boguslawsky crater area. Meanwhile, Manzinus and Pentland-A craters have been named as alternative landing sites.

The primary goal of the mission will be to polish the soft landing technology. The mission might become the first spacecraft ever to reach near the South Pole of the Earth’s natural satellite, according to TASS.

The spacecraft will look for natural resources, including water, and analyse the effects of space rays and electromagnetic emissions on the lunar surface. Luna 25, also called the Luna-Glob-Lander, will study the composition of the moon’s polar soil and the plasma and dust contained in the very thin lunar exosphere, or the moon’s scant atmosphere, for one year.

The lander has several cameras and they will make timelapse footage of the landing and an HDR wide-angle image of the moonscape. Luna-25 will turn its cameras during pre-programmed periods and after a signal from the Earth, TASS reported.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the statement said, “The lander has a four-legged base containing the landing rockets and propellant tanks, an upper compartment holds the solar panels, communication equipment, on-board computers, and most of the science apparatus.”

According to the statement released by NASA, the lander has a 1.6 meter-long Lunar Robotic Arm (LRA, or Lunar Manipulator Complex) to remove and gather the surface regolith to depths of 20 to 30 cm. The LRA is equipped with a scoop (175 cubic cm volume) and a sample acquisition tool, a 4.7 cm long tube with an internal diameter of 1.25 cm.

It’s keenly watched around the world as Europe and America work to isolate Russia amid the war in Ukraine, and as Russia tries to strengthen its political and economic ties with non-Western countries in response. (ANI)

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NIA takes over probe into attack on Indian mission

India also pointed out its concerns over the breach of security of the Indian High Commission…reports Asian Lite News

Nearly a month after the national flag at the Indian high commission in London was pulled down during a protest by pro-Khalistan activists, India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the case to investigate the matter, sources said.

According to inputs, the case was handed over to the NIA by the Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalization (CTCR) division of India’s Ministry of Home Affairs a few days back. The anti-terror agency registered a First Information Report (FIR) based on the orders of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and began its probe.

The agency took over the case from Delhi Police, which registered an FIR in the matter under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and is currently investigating it.

The MHA took the decision to hand over the case to the NIA following a meeting with UK representatives last week, the sources indicated.

It is learnt that a special team of the NIA, including a Deputy Inspector General rank officer, may visit London “very soon”, said a source privy to the development.

A tricolour flying atop the Indian High Commission in London was grabbed at by a group of protesters waving separatist Khalistani flags and chanting pro-Khalistani slogans on March 19.

The national flag was pulled down during the protest by pro-Khalistani elements. Videos of the incident showed several protesters carrying the yellow and black Khalistan flag and calling for radical Sikh preacher and Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh to be “freed”.

The videos showed one of the protesters clambering onto a balcony and pulling down the Indian flag from a pole at the front of the high commission to cheers from the other men. British policemen arrived on the scene and prevented the protestors from approaching an entrance of the Indian high commission. The protesters shouted slogans and abused Indian officials within, the videos showed.

Centre amended the NIA Act in August 2019, empowering the agency to investigate terror activities against Indians and Indian interests abroad apart from cyber crimes and human trafficking.

In the fifth India-UK Home Affairs Dialogue held on April 12, India raised concerns on the misuse of the UK’s asylum status by the Pro-Khalistani elements aid and abet terrorist activities here and requested better cooperation with the UK and increased monitoring of UK based Pro-Khalistan Extremists and take appropriate proactive action.

India also pointed out its concerns over the breach of security of the Indian High Commission.

Both sides reviewed the ongoing cooperation and identified further steps that can be taken to explore opportunities and synergies in advancing cooperation in counter-terrorism, cyber security and global supply chains, drug trafficking, migration, extradition, and anti-India activities in the UK including Pro-Khalistan Extremism among other issues.

The Indian delegation was led by Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and the UK delegation was led by Permanent Secretary, of Home Office, Sir Matthew Rycroft. The meeting was also attended by other senior officials of both countries.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) last month summoned the UK deputy high commissioner after pro-Khalistan protestors took down the Indian flag at the high commission in London. The pro-Khalistan groups were protesting against the Punjab police’s crackdown on Sikh hardliner Amritpal Singh. (ANI)

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Defence India News

Indian army man eyes Guinness record

To start this epic feat, Naik N.A. Velu P was flagged off from 92 Base Hospital at Srinagar on April 1 by a heartwarming gathering of enthusiasts who accompanied him in his solo run for the initial 5 Kms carrying the National Flag and boosting his morale…reports Sheikh Qayoom.

An indian soldier courageously attempting to set a Guinness record by running from North end to South end. The soldier has already started Kashmir to Kanyakumari ultra marathon to make it to the Guinness Book of World records.

A defence statement said here on Saturday, “Naik N.A. Velu P of 60 Para Field Hospital is an Ultra marathon runner who is attempting a Guinness book of world record by running from Kashmir to Kanyakumari for a distance of approximately 4,300 kms in under 50 days.

“To start this epic feat, Naik N.A. Velu P was flagged off from 92 Base Hospital at Srinagar on April 1 by a heartwarming gathering of enthusiasts who accompanied him in his solo run for the initial 5 Kms carrying the National Flag and boosting his morale. To cover this mammoth distance from Kashmir to Kanyakumari in 50 days Naik Velu P would be running 70-100 KMs per day crossing various States and major towns and cities.

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“Naik Velu P has already won many ultra-marathons, Tuffman runs and Stadium runs across India. He has been representing Athletics federation of India (AFI) in long distance runs for the past 4 years and in coming September, he will be representing India for Stadium run at the World championship at Romania, for which he had won a trial run of 24 hours stadium running held at Bengaluru.

“In an another laurel to his splendid performances till date, in June 2020 he ran 1600 Kms in 17 days. This feat is in the process of being entered as an Asian record”.

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