India is quite ahead in field of astronomy, our initiatives path-breaking: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that India is quite advanced in the field of astronomy and has taken path-breaking initiatives in the field.

Talking about the solar eclipse which took place on December 26, the Prime Minister read a message that he got from someone named Ripun, who had urged the Prime Minister to talk about the subject.

"India is quite ahead in the field of astronomy and our initiatives are pathbreaking. We have a giant meter-wave telescope near Pune. Not just that, in Kodaikkaanal, Udagamandala, Guru Shikhar and Hanle Ladakh as well, powerful telescopes are located," the Prime Minister said during his monthly "Mann ki Baat" programme.

The Prime Minister said: "Like my countrymen, especially the youth among them, I too was eager to watch the solar eclipse on December 26. But unfortunately, clouds in skies in Delhi prevented me from enjoying the sight. Though, I did get to see beautiful pictures of the solar eclipse that was visible in Kozhikode and some other parts of India."

Stressing that astronomy has an ancient and glorious history in the country, Modi further said that our connection with the twinkling stars in the sky is as old as our civilisation.

"Many of you might be aware that at various places in India, there are magnificent observatories or Jantar Mantars, which are worth seeing. Who doesn't know about the prodigious talent of the great Aryabhatta? During his career, he expounded in great detail about the solar eclipse as well as the lunar eclipse," he said.

"In 2016, the then Prime Minister of Belgium and I had inaugurated the 3.6-metre Devasthal optical telescope in Nainital. It is said to be Asia's largest telescope. ISRO has an astronomical satellite called Astrosat. ISRO is planning to launch a satellite called Aditya, to study the sun," he added.