Sir — I was happy to see photographs of scientists celebrating at the Indian Space Research Organisation after the success of the Mars Orbiter Mission. So many of these scientists were young people, and quite a few of them were women. Congratulations to all of them who stayed back in India and are serving their country.
Isro’s spacecraft reaching the Martian orbit in the first attempt is a big deal for us because India is the first country in the world to do so. In the process, we have outdone the Americans, the Soviets and a European consortium (not a country) — none of these was successful on their maiden voyage.
The Mars success is an extension of the state-sponsored self-sufficiency that Jawaharlal Nehru promoted. India has proved that its space programme can survive and, indeed, thrive, even if the West cuts off technology-sharing processes — as was the case after this country tested nuclear weapons on two occasions.