• PM Modi inaugurates India’s first LED dome planetarium.
• Facility aims to encourage astronomy and scientific learning.
• PM highlights India’s achievements in space exploration.
• Research initiatives and startup opportunities feature in his address.

GG News Bureau
Mysuru, 13th Nov: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the COSMOS-Mysuru Planetarium, India’s first LED dome planetarium, in Mysuru, Karnataka, marking a new addition to the country’s science education infrastructure.

The Prime Minister said the facility would bring the wonders of the universe closer to young minds and encourage students to explore astronomy, research and innovation.

Highlighting India’s scientific heritage, Modi recalled the contributions of astronomers Aryabhata, Varahamihira, Bhaskaracharya and Nilakantha Somayaji. He said they made remarkable discoveries and performed complex calculations despite the absence of modern instruments and technology.

Modi also highlighted Mysuru’s legacy of promoting education and research, referring to the establishment of the University of Mysore under Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar and the royal family’s role in laying the foundation of the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru.

The Prime Minister cited the achievements of Indian students at international science Olympiads, noting that four of the five Indian participants at this year’s International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics in Vietnam won gold medals, while one secured silver.

On India’s space progress, Modi referred to Chandrayaan-3, the Aditya-L1 solar mission and the country’s space docking and undocking achievement. He also highlighted the experience gained from an Indian astronaut’s recent visit to the International Space Station, which is expected to support the Gaganyaan programme.

He said opening the space sector to private participation had created opportunities for startups to develop technologies, launch rockets and place satellites into orbit.

The Prime Minister also underlined the everyday benefits of space technology, citing satellite-based weather alerts for fishermen, real-time train tracking and satellite data used in crop-yield assessment under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.

Referring to the government’s research and innovation initiatives, Modi highlighted Atal Tinkering Labs, One Nation One Subscription, the Anusandhan National Research Foundation and the ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation Scheme.

He urged the planetarium’s organisers to regularly bring school and college students to the facility, saying it could inspire the next generation of scientists and researchers.