The preliminary National Space Day celebration was held with great enthusiasm at Kalawangpo Hall in Tawang, commemorating the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander on the lunar south pole on August 17, 2023. The event aimed to inspire scientific curiosity and celebrate India’s achievements in space exploration.

Namgyal Angmo, IAS, Deputy Commissioner of Tawang, attended the event as Chief Guest. In her address, she highlighted the role of science in everyday life and encouraged students to pursue science with dedication, urging them to aim for careers in research and innovation. She emphasized that the event’s message should extend beyond the hall and positively impact the lives of all participants.

Dr. Jayasimha, Project Director of Chandrayaan-5 at ISRO, Bengaluru, was present as the Guest of Honour and Resource Person. He delivered an engaging lecture on ISRO’s journey and contributions, supported by a captivating audio-visual presentation.

Dr. Jonali Goswami from the North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC) also addressed the gathering, focusing on capacity building and outreach initiatives in the space sector.

A quiz competition on space science was held as part of the programme, drawing enthusiastic participation from students of GHSS Tawang, GSS Town, GSS Bomba, and Manjushree School. GSS Town secured first place, while GSS Bomba finished as runner-up.

The event was attended by officials from the Department of Science & Technology, school heads, teachers, and a large number of students. It concluded with the distribution of trophies and certificates to the winners and participation certificates to all student attendees.

The final celebration of National Space Day is scheduled to take place in New Delhi, marking the culmination of events held across the country in recognition of India’s space achievements.