India plans to send its astronauts to Moon by 2040: former ISRO chief
Ahmedabad (PTI): India plans to land its astronauts on the Moon by 2040, former ISRO chief A S Kiran Kumar said here on Wednesday.
Kumar, who is currently the chairman of the management council of the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), was speaking at the inauguration of the 5th Astronomical Society of India (ASI) Symposium.
"Between now and 2040 there are a whole lot of missions which are going to go into space activities. So, 2040 is a plan where we want to land Indians on the Moon and bring them back safely. India is also working towards building a space station by 2040," he said.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the event held at the PRL campus, the former Indian Space Research Organisation head elaborated on the country's space roadmap.
In the immediate future, there will be a Chandrayaan follow-on mission, and work was underway with Japan for a lander and rover, he said.
"We should be trying to look for some specific information in the South Polar region (of the Moon). It will only be the beginning of a whole lot of activities beyond that. India as a country is committed to doing space observation and then understanding the universe," Kumar said.
This will up open up a lot of opportunities for academic institutions, engineering institutions and even private companies to contribute to India's space exploration, he said.
In his speech before the gathering of scientists and students during the inaugural session, Kumar said India is the only country which started building space technology primarily for societal benefits and not for military purposes.
Dr Vikram Sarabhai's contribution to India's space sector, when the country was only 10 years into Independence, was phenomenal, he said.
Sarabhai explored how space technology can improve broadcast communication and weather monitoring to provide facilities to citizens, he noted.
The three-day symposium focuses on the pivotal role of optics and advanced instrumentation in astronomy, space science, planetary science, atmospheric science, and emerging interdisciplinary areas including quantum science and technologies.
It brings together nearly 150 scientists, engineers, academicians, young researchers and early career scientists, and industry participants from across the country.
Those present at the inaugural event included Prof Yashwant Gupta, Director, National Centre for Radio Astrophysics; Prof Annapurni Subramaniam, Director, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru, and Prof Anil Bhardwaj, Director, Physical Research Laboratory.
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T20 WC star Samson named ICC Men's Player of the Month for March
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Dubai (PTI): India opener Sanju Samson was on Tuesday named ICC Men's Player of the Month for March, capping a stellar run that saw him play a defining role in the team's triumphant T20 World Cup campaign.
Samson did not get to play in the early part of the tournament but was the standout performer in the big games towards the end and helped India retain the title.
His latest honour also extends a unique streak, with players from different countries winning the award over the past five months including South Africa's Simon Harmer, Australia's Mitchell Starc, New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell and Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan.
"Winning the ICC Player of the Month award is an incredible feeling, especially as it comes during what has been the most unforgettable phase of my cricketing journey. Playing a part in India's triumph at the Men's T20 World Cup was truly a dream realised, and it took some time for the magnitude of that moment to fully sink in," Samson said.
"This is an exciting era for Indian cricket, with immense talent across the board. I feel grateful for the opportunities I've received, and for the trust and support from my team-mates and coaching staff that have allowed me to perform at my best."
Not a regular part of the playing XI in the initial stages of the tournament, Samson was eventually called up for India's must-win Super 8 fixtures. After starting off with 24 against Zimbabwe, he picked form and didn't look back.
The opener missed out on a century against the West Indies by just three runs, but his attacking 97 not out set up India's spot in the semifinal.
A blistering 89 against England at the Wankhede helped India to 253 for 7, and the target proved elusive for the English who missed out by seven runs on March 5.
An equally amazing 89 was churned out during India's successful title defence in Ahmedabad, securing a 96-run win.
In the three crucial T20Is he was a part of in March, Samson notched up 275 runs at an astonishing average of 137.50 and a stunning strike rate of 199.27.
This is the first time that Samson has secured an ICC Men's Player of the Month honour.
New Zealand captain Melie Kerr won the women's honour for the third time, after an outstanding series against Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Taking over the white-ball teams from Sophie Devine, Kerr's captaincy seemed to have brought out the best in her with both the ball and the bat. In the Zimbabwe ODI series, she managed to snap 16 wickets in just three matches, including her career-best figures of 7/34.
Additionally, she also contributed with the bat, being the third highest run-scorer in the ODIs, scoring 140 runs across three games with an average of 46.67 in the counting month.
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