‘Landmark moment in Indian history’: PM Modi, President remember Pokhran-II on National Technology D

As India celebrates the National Technology Day today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind extended greetings and thanked the country’s scientific community on the 22nd anniversary of the Pokhran-II nuclear bomb tests. PM Modi in a series of tweet termed the Pokhran-II tests as an “exceptional achievement of the country’s scientists and a landmark moment in India’s history”.

He said the tests in Pokhran in 1998 showed the difference a strong political leadership can make. The Prime Minister also shared an old video from his Mann Ki Baat programme where once he had spoken about the Indian scientists and the tests. “Here is what I had said about Pokhran, India’s scientists and Atalji’s remarkable leadership during one of the Mann Ki Baat programmes.”

As the world continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asserted the importance of technology in the fight against the Coronavirus as Technology Day was observed.

“Today, technology is helping many in the efforts to make the world free from COVID-19. I salute all those at the forefront of research and innovation on ways to defeat Coronavirus. May we keep harnessing technology in order to create a healthier and better planet,” he said in a tweet.

President Ram Nath Kovind extended his greetings to the citizens of the country on the occasion of the National Technology Day.

On this occasion, the President said, “we celebrate the incomparable contribution of the scientific community in making the nation self-reliant”.

“We recognise science and technology as the key instruments for inclusive progress. Our scientists and technologists are also on the frontlines of the global battle against COVID-19, making the nation proud,” President Kovind said in another tweet.

The day holds a significant milestone in the history of country’s technological innovations as India successfully tested nuclear bombs in Pokhran on May 11, 1998, and is commemorated every year by honouring the architects of such innovations.

On this day, late President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam led the Indian team of scientists to successfully test-fire the Shakti-1 nuclear missile at Rajasthan’s Pokhran test range.

DRDO added to the day’s importance by successfully completing the test-fire sessions of India’s Surface-to-Air Trishul missile.

With all these achievements, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee announced May 11 as the National Technology Day.