Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday remembered the nuclear tests held in 1998 at Pokhran, Rajasthan, terming it an “exceptional achievement” and a “landmark moment in India’s history” and applauded all those using technology to enhance the quality of life. “On National Technology Day, our nation salutes all those who are leveraging technology to bring a positive difference in the lives of others. We remember the exceptional achievement of our scientists on this day in 1998. It was a landmark moment in India’s history,” Prime Minister Modi tweeted. In another tweet, the Prime Minister also saluted all those who are currently involved in research to defeat COVID-19. “Today, technology is helping many in the efforts to make the world free from COVID-19. I salute all those at the forefront of research and innovation on ways to defeat Coronavirus. May we keep harnessing technology in order to create a healthier and better planet,” he said. In another tweet, the Prime Minister shared a video of his monthly address to the nation ‘Mann Ki Baat’, stating that the nuclear testing carried out under the then Prime Minister, late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, “showed the difference a strong political leadership can make”. India conducted Pokhran-II tests, a series of five nuclear explosions, in May 1998 at the Indian Army’s Pokhran Test Range in Rajasthan. National Technology Day is observed every year on May 11 as a reminder of the anniversary of Pokhran-II tests.
