Indian scientists contributing to LIGO project laud PM Modi's vision

Nancy Agarwal, one of the three young Indian scientists who has worked on the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) project, lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision and said that he motivated the kids across the globe about the importance of science.

Nancy told ANI that Prime Minister Modi urged the United States to contribute in LIGO technology.

The PhD student from MIT, who is currently working with other scientists on the LIGO project, said her domain here is mainly to make gravitational waves detector better and explain that how quantum mechanics is useful in measurement.

Karan , a Phd student from Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, said Prime Minister Modi was very proud about the LIGO project and said that this would motivate the people to join fundamental science.

Karan said he is responsible in the LIGO project for supercomputer simulations. He further said India's contribution to LIGO is to build vacuum chambers and run the detectors, adding that a team is needed for this to analyse the LIGO data.

Prime Minister Modi has described the LIGO project as a great example of India-US scientific collaboration and said the success of the same could well inspire an entire young generation of Indian scientists.

"Insightful interaction with scientists from LIGO, including 3 young Indian scientists who worked on LIGO project," tweeted Prime Minister Modi.

"LIGO project is a great example of India-USA ties & will surely inspire several young science enthusiasts in India" he said in another tweet.

He urged the Indian scientists, who are part of the LIGO project, to interact with Indian students and visit Indian universities as much as possible.

The team, which was led by the Director of the National Science Foundation Dr. France Cordova, included three young Indian scientists who have worked on the LIGO project.

Dr. Cordova explained how India was extremely important for the future of the LIGO project.

The Prime Minister's meeting with the LIGO scientists in Washington DC comes just two days after he met scientists from the Institute of Plasma Research in New Delhi, who are also working on the LIGO project.

Prime Minister Modi also witnessed the exchange of an MoU on the establishment of LIGO in India.

Briefing the media later, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Vikas Swarup said Prime Minister Modi looked at the LIGO project not only as a great example of India-US scientific collaboration but also as the one which has the potential of generating curiosity in a lot of young minds in India and in fact creating a whole new generation of Indian scientists who can get enthused with the remarkable breakthrough in science.

"In this context, he said that LIGO scientists going to India should have more interactions with Indian universities. They should meet more of Indian students to inculcate in them the sense of curiosity, the sense of discovery," he added.