ISRO awarded "Indian of the Year 2023" for 'Outstanding Achievement'

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh presented the "Indian of the Year Award" for the year 2023 in the 'Outstanding Achievement' category to ISRO. The award was received by ISRO Chairman S. Somnath and Chandrayaan 3 Project Director Dr. P. Veeramuthuvel.

Recognition of ISRO's achievements:

• The award citation states that the award recognises the work done by ISRO in pushing the boundaries of space exploration.
• In the year 2023, India's space agency demonstrated unparalleled skill and flexibility in facing challenges. The culmination of ISRO's achievements in 2023 was the first successful soft landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the unexplored south-polar region of the Moon.
• Chandrayaan-3 was not only indigenous, but it was also a very cost-effective mission with a budget of around Rs 600 crore.

Currently, startups in the field of space:

• Four-five years ago, there was just one startup in the space sector in India. Currently, there are 190 private space startups after the opening of this sector. 
• In the current financial year, from April to December 2023, investments of more than Rs 1,000 crore have been made by private space startups.

Individuals & organisations honoured with 'Indian of the Year' 2023:

'Indian of the Year' (IOTY) 2023:

• 'Indian of the Year' (IOTY) was launched by a national TV channel 'CNN-News18'.
• The 13th edition of the 'Indian of the Year' television awards was given in seven main categories on January 10, 2024. Under this, awards were given mainly in the following areas -
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Youth Icon
  • Rising Sports Star
  • Social Change 
  • Climate Warriors.
• The award was given to recognise the extraordinary contributions of notable individuals in the seven main categories mentioned above.

Celebrities included in the jury panel for the IOTY Awards :

• Former Solicitor General of India - Harish Salve
• Screenwriter and lyricist - Javed Akhtar 
•  Former Supreme Court Judge - Indu Malhotra 
• India Athletics Federation of India - Anju Bobby George 
• Chairman of R P Sanjeev Goenka Group - Sanjeev Goenka
• Environmental activist and lawyer - Afroz Shah