India launches biggest ever rocket into space
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BANGALORE: India successfully launched its biggest ever rocket on Thursday, including an unmanned capsule which could one day send astronauts into space, as the country ramps up its ambitious space programme.
The rocket, designed to carry heavier communication and other satellites into higher orbit, blasted off from Sriharikota in the southeast state of Andhra Pradesh.
“This was a very significant day in the history of (the) Indian space programme,” Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman K.S Radhakrishnan said from mission control as fellow scientists clapped and cheered.
ISRO scientists have been riding high since an Indian spacecraft successfully reached Mars in September on a shoe-string budget, winning Asia's race to the Red Planet and sparking an outpouring of national pride.
Although India has successfully launched lighter satellites in recent years, it has struggled to match the heavier loads sent up by other countries.
The new rocket, weighing 630 tonnes and capable of carrying 4 tonnes, is a boost for India's attempts to grab a greater slice of the $300-billion global space market.
“India, you have a new launch vehicle with you. We have made it again, “ISRO mission director S. Somnath said. “The powerful launch vehicle has come to shape, which will change our destiny... (by) placing heavier spacecraft into communications orbits.”
The rocket — officially named the Geostationary Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk-III — was carrying an unmanned crew capsule which ISRO said successfully separated from the rocket and splashed down in the Bay of Bengal off India's east coast 20 minutes after liftoff.
The Indian-made capsule is designed to carry up to three astronauts into space.
India's manned spaceflight programme has seen multiple stops and starts in recent years, and ISRO says the crew capsule project would take at least another seven years to reach the point where an astronaut could be put into space.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the test mission as “yet another triumph of (the) brilliance and hard work of our scientists.”
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Comments (84) Closed
Dec 18, 2014 12:55pm
Meanwhile in india...
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Dec 18, 2014 12:59pm
Atleast a good news for sub continent
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Dec 18, 2014 01:01pm
If Pakistan was friendly with India, both the nations would have made an edge in space, science and technology.
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Dec 18, 2014 01:01pm
Good job
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Dec 18, 2014 01:05pm
Another stepping stone towards a Bright Future and new accomplishment.
Great going.
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Dec 18, 2014 01:08pm
Hope to see a manned mission to mars soon.
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Dec 18, 2014 01:09pm
Congratulation Indian and our hardworking scientist..great job keep it up
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Dec 18, 2014 01:15pm
Bravo!.....I appreciate the effort!
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Dec 18, 2014 01:16pm
Well done India, Congrats ISRO.
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Dec 18, 2014 01:20pm
This is big moment for my country. Many kids today want to be a part of this exciting phase ISRO has got in.
Also such space ventures can be useful for the entire subcontinent. My prime minister proposed in similar lines during the SAARC meet apart from the connectivity proposals in South Asia. But Pakistan snubbed them. I concede we are a poor country too but we certainly seem to have a lesser ego than Pakistan.
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Dec 18, 2014 01:20pm
Congratulations from Pakistan! We hope India would use her technology for peaceful tasks only!
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Dec 18, 2014 01:25pm
Is not this is the same day when your entire Pakistan is paying tribute to Peshawar massacre victims? The choice is yours.. join us for this competition for technology and development or keep yourself busy for fighting this religious extremists, also don't forget once Pakistan only helped Taliban, now see the result... the choice is yours, no one can force you to do something, its your life, and your country...
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Dec 18, 2014 01:27pm
India should be congratulated . Give credit where it is due and credit goes to India for achieving yet another milestone in space exploration. Let us not bring religion and terrorism into everything, shall we?
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Dec 18, 2014 01:29pm
@Iqbal Come along. We have an excellent platform like SAARC to collaborate on with each other. And work towards achieving greater and greater heights together. Remember, our competition is western countries whom we have to surpass. India will be very happy to do it together with SAARC countries.
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Dec 18, 2014 01:34pm
One thing that makes me proud to be an Indian is ISRO!!!
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Dec 18, 2014 01:36pm
Totally new heavier and powerful rocket and unmanned Crew Module splashed in bay of bengal perfectly with parachutes.This crew module is larger than modules used by both China and Russia and is a size of a big bed room.Congrates India and ISRO
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Dec 18, 2014 01:40pm
good for this continent congrats India
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Dec 18, 2014 01:42pm
Pakistan should not ask china for launching their satellite. India is there.
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Dec 18, 2014 01:45pm
Pakistani's , you can never feel envious of these achievements. Deep down- its the shared genes that you know have. Masters of maths and science- you have that too.
Come out of this madness and come join the 21st century with indians,chinese,americans,europeans.
Take a deep hard look west to Arabia, they are empty nothings - they shoud be kneeling to South Asian engineering and science.
drop the swords, and pick up the pen - like panini and pingala did years back. remember?
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Dec 18, 2014 01:47pm
@rehan You are right and gracious.
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Dec 18, 2014 01:47pm
Whole of subcontinent has to progress together. The terrorists do not differentiate when killing indians or pak.
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Dec 18, 2014 01:58pm
I view Dawn to see the views of Pakistan people and the news items. It is a pleasant surprise to see that people feel united to fight terrorism now with full heart and mind except the cocky General Musharaf. As a nation, Pakistan will benefit from friendship with India. Kashmir problem could be resolved and a future for South Asia could be ensured if two of these countries look to each other as friends than enemies. Terrorists path do not help Pakistan. It is an obvious reality. We Indians mourn for the death of the children as much as you do. Change the path of terrorism. No one believes that Pak state actors are not involved in terrorist activities. Dump such people and come out of the mess, dear people of Pakistan.
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Dec 18, 2014 02:00pm
Congrates to ISRO who defied every sanction master space technology, Together India Pakistan could have achieved much more, much earlier.
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Dec 18, 2014 02:04pm
If india is successful it will be the fifth agency after US,russia,europe and China to do it in 2017.
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Dec 18, 2014 02:12pm
Good performance by Indian scientist, congratulation from Karachi
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Dec 18, 2014 02:13pm
If Pakistan could completely stop supporting terrorism, even now India and Pakistan can become best of friends.
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Dec 18, 2014 02:13pm
We used religion to rally for us but failed to keep a check on it and thus proved detrimental but on the other side, they developed and evolved to match the might of developed powers.
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Dec 18, 2014 02:19pm
Pakistan & India can develop leap & bounds if we stop military spending. The only way is to dissolve our boundaries. Religion should be practiced inside the home.
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Dec 18, 2014 02:23pm
Come on India. That's great.
It is just that it has come of to a very very wrong time when flowers of Peshawar has been plucked off untimely and just think of their parents, in what situation they must be passing every hour going by. Unthinkable.
ISRO's tribute to Peshawar's living and dead victims.
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Dec 18, 2014 02:24pm
300 billion dollars share of space business..... This is called focusing on other sources of revenue generation in todays volatile global market while tackling several issues the country has, kudos to my countrymen and scientists for continuously moving ahead in the 21st century with a secular and democratic country behind them.
Thanks to all Pakistani friends for the wishes
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Dec 18, 2014 02:30pm
This is my India.
I love my India.
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Dec 18, 2014 02:32pm
Even though we Pakistanis and Indians are historical rivals, credit should be given where it is due. Congrats to India on this.
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Dec 18, 2014 02:39pm
@rehan - Agree with you 100%.
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Dec 18, 2014 02:40pm
Congratulations India. Very good progress.
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Dec 18, 2014 02:46pm
Good job ISRO Engineers.
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Dec 18, 2014 02:48pm
This rocket will help send an Indian to the moon and allow an Indian robot to land on Mars.
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Dec 18, 2014 02:49pm
This is my India
I love my India
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Dec 18, 2014 02:51pm
If all organisations in india had been like ISRO ,we would have been a superpower already. ..
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Dec 18, 2014 02:51pm
@Quasim . Dear Quasim, I love your vibrant country and your people. Wish we could be together to celebrate this. We are with you bro. Milan
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Dec 18, 2014 02:53pm
@Quasim ..so what yaar..still we both are new nations..pakistan can still take A BIG U TURN to 1947 and start all over again..but only this around with clear goal and purpose and mostly importatly without any insecurities..
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Dec 18, 2014 02:54pm
for placing satellite in GSO
PSLV-------------1300 Kg
GSLV Mk II------2500 Kg
GSLV Mk III-----4000 Kg
ISRO will launch Chandrayaan 2 (Orbiter+Rover+Lander) in 2017/18......A LEO mission ADITYA 1 for studying of corona of Sun in 2018......& 4 more satellites of Navigation System (INRSS) in March 2015 to complete 7 IRNSS satellite for its indegenous GPS...ISRO asked GOI Rs.1270 Crore for manned space mission in future & planning a human space mission in 7 years & then manned mission to Moon....not yet to mars......Mangalayaan 2 is planning but not manned mission....
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Dec 18, 2014 02:54pm
@rehan
Well said brother.
Looking at the comments from Pakistani people, I feel so connected with you.
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Dec 18, 2014 02:57pm
@Moiz Omar
India and Pak were not rivals , WE ARE ONE, BUT made rivals in the great game of super powers. The day we all question "How come Jinnah is the only freedom fighter in human history to have never been to jail or prosecuted by the occupier [UK]?" every thing will became obvious to Pakistanis on "why pakistan is in mess ?"
and "What needs to be done for better future?".
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Dec 18, 2014 02:57pm
@mudassar Weaponization of Space is forbidden by international agreements, so everyone is safe to that extent.
Since India is centrally located in the subcontinent the services of India's satellites for Communications, Weather, Navigation, Remote Sensing, etc., would all be extendible from Afghanistan to Bangladesh, and Nepal to Sri Lanka, at least. It speaks poorly for us all that we should be unable to put into place an arrangement to exploit the possibilities. We have a long way to go, compared to our scientists. They have reached as far as Mars, while the rest of us are still living with medieval attitudes and mutual suspicions.
At any rate, you've done well to remind us all of an important point.
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Dec 18, 2014 03:07pm
@Moiz Omar , Indian and Pak should be rivals and rival should be in direction of benefiting humanity not in side of destruction.
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Dec 18, 2014 03:07pm
If only the good people of Pakistan assert themselves against the strategic assets concept of the establishment and provoke a fresh positive thinking , who knows the first manned mission could carry a Pak astronaut.
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Dec 18, 2014 03:09pm
We are proud of this achievement.
Many thanks to Pakistani brothers for your wishes. Wishing the same success to you as well.
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Dec 18, 2014 03:09pm
@mudassar - Believe me, we Indians are very sensitive, we can't hold our tears at Peshawar tragedy. We would never approve use of technology against innocent people, unless and until that is the last means of survival available.
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Dec 18, 2014 03:09pm
i love my india.. (proud Indian)
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Dec 18, 2014 03:10pm
India rocz
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Dec 18, 2014 03:13pm
let Pakistan give its own satellite to be lunched by ISRO .. beneficial for Pakistan only !!
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Dec 18, 2014 03:13pm
A notable achievement which will generate much needed foreign exchange for India.
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Dec 18, 2014 03:29pm
Pakistan was doing good before radicalization. They have more natural resources they could do good too even better than India, but they chose to wrong path. They have lesser diversity (than India), they have lesser differences in culture, languages, religions (than India) yet they have more problems than India at present. They chose to put leg in Kashmir and Afghanistan. While India despite of having problems, kept going in right direction. We supported Palestine when it was needed despite of fact that Israel could support us more against Pakistan. Pakistan is blamed for destruction in Afghanistan thought Pakistani think that Muslims are their brothers. While India despite of being seen as Hindu nation, are appreciated for constructions in Afghanistan. It will take decades for Pakistan to change deep rooted lies and hate. by the way zaki ur rehman got the bail.
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Dec 18, 2014 03:37pm
congrats ISRO , congrats dr, radha, and your team and you make us proud india , thank you sir , dear pakistan friends thanks for the support, satya india
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Dec 18, 2014 03:51pm
@rehan first time in agreement with you
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Dec 18, 2014 04:03pm
@Moiz Omar, What are we rivals for, we were brothers made rivals by some fools from both the sides....wake up dude,,,before its too late..
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Dec 18, 2014 04:20pm
I hope u understand differance between rocket and missiles........
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Dec 18, 2014 04:32pm
@Purush being an indian i want to advice you dont be bitter with our pakistani friend, cause you know love can be symbol of peace.
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Dec 18, 2014 04:37pm
Come on Brothers!!! the same blood flows in us all and we are busy fighting.....its time we start working together and take ourselves to greater heights!!!
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Dec 18, 2014 04:57pm
Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Bhutanese, Nepalese, Burmese, Sri Lankans, etc are the same bloodline, same people, brothers and sisters. Unless Pakistan moves on from its current mindset of revenge, etc the entire sub-continent will continue to suffer. Despite the threat of pak & china on India, the country has continued to invest in technology and space program.
Imagine what can be achieved with all these countries coming together with open borders, better infrastructure, better education, better trade and development. Sub-continent on its own has the potential to take on the world powers and make sub-continent better/richer than even Europe.
But will people think on these lines?
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Dec 18, 2014 04:57pm
Happy for India. May be this will make Pakistani's wake up.
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Dec 18, 2014 05:13pm
Congratulations to the Indians on this achievement..... job well done..
To Pakistanis, we could take this development with a very positive mind-set, with a billion plus population and equal number of challenges they focused and achieved... Our problems are still less but God helps those who help themselves...
To be honest, I would have rather spent resources on solving the energy crisis in our region....
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Dec 18, 2014 05:40pm
DAWN PUBLISH tHIS
For the first time seeing positive comments all around- think the martyrdom of kids has not gone waste- not sure for how long though- pray its forever
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Dec 18, 2014 06:06pm
Good job.
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Dec 18, 2014 07:08pm
@apoorva I TOO.
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Dec 18, 2014 07:10pm
@Naeem i am saddened by the release of a terrorist.More of the same.
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Dec 18, 2014 07:16pm
After reading comments from fellow pakistanis..... I feel their is still some ray of hope from that side ......
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Dec 18, 2014 08:50pm
@rehan never Bring religion politics together.
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Dec 19, 2014 12:50am
Proud to be Indian.
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Dec 19, 2014 05:46am
Another little step towards regaining India's lost glory.
We will prevail,with focus, hard work, and lots of diligence!!!!
Go Mother India,go!!!:):):)
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Dec 19, 2014 06:19am
I just want to ask the rulers of Pakistan that do you believe in Allah or not? What will u say on judgement day before Allah that how u protected your people? And plz tell the nation why we r holding these afghani people in our country. Do u get dollars for them from world or is there some other reason. Tell nation. If u don't send them now to Afghanistan the next thing that might happen will be the killing and slaughtering of the children of Generals and you. Because most of these afghani people are spread every where in Pakistan and mostly in kpk and tribal belt like aliens with record or documents. From where they come n where they go nobody knows. They have there country n government called Afghanistan send them for Allah's sake. And plz take notice of nadra where many officials are involved in issuing fake I'd cards to Afghanistan. It's an open secret at least in kpk.
And plz rule out the religious so called leaders from politics as they are the god fathers of these terrorists. There duty is to say prayers and also control what they say on speakers.
I want the army chief to take notice of these issues which are directly linked with our national security as the ruling party is not capable of taking these measures.
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Dec 19, 2014 06:45am
@People movement needed Trust me...I don't think 5% of Pakistanis know who Panini is?:):)
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Dec 19, 2014 07:06am
Let me provide a counterpoint.
Thank you Pakistan, and thank you China. Without the two of you, we would probably not have a decent space program. We needed an eye in the sky to keep a watch on your activities, we needed transponders to let our soldiers communicate. We needed the rocket technology for our missiles. All these were denied to us or heavily restricted by those that had the know-how, so we had to develop this from scratch.
We could have gone for a militaristic approach, but better sense prevailed. So although every now and then we launch a classified satellite, the main game here is non-military. We are able to predict weather and keep a watch for cyclones, we are able to provide uplinks for our million TV channels, we can deliver distance education on the cheap, and we can provide phone and internet access to remote parts of the country and nearby waters, we can discover ice on the moon and look for life on mars.
Our children can dream of looking at their planet from space in an Indian spacecraft.
All this couldn't have been done without the impetus provided by defence needs, so thanks again Pakistan and China for making this happen.
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Dec 19, 2014 07:11am
ISRO, does it again,India’s biggest rocket, GSLV Mark III launched, successfully
Taking its baby steps towards realising India’s ambition to send humans into space, ISRO on Thursday successfully tested the atmospheric re-entry of a crew module after its heaviest launch vehicle GSLV Mk-III blasted off from here.
The LVM3-X flight with active S200 and L110 propulsion stages and a passive C25 stage with dummy engine, carried CARE (Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment) as its payload.
Weighing over three tonnes, the 2.7-metre tall cup cake shaped crew module with a diameter of 3.1 metres, which features aluminium alloy internal structure with composite panels and ablative thermal protection systems, was made to safely drop down into the sea by specially-made parachutes from Agra-based DRDO lab Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment.
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Dec 19, 2014 07:36am
People from the subcontinent get along all over the world (called Desis) but they have differences and mistrust within the subcontinent thanks to our politicians, media and lack of communication at personal level. Post partition Pak looked towards US and China for help and Indian sought Russia's help. Truth is all those countries simply exploit the mistrust between the 2 brothers (Pak and India) to export weapons and make money. Look beyond our small differences...we are more similar than any other 2 countries in this world. Its over 60 years since partition and we still argue like teenagers. Some of us even learnt to hate each other from our grandparents and parents. Its time we move on and work and succeed together and give our children a better future. Wishing for a friendlier India and Pak.
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Dec 19, 2014 07:44am
@Wiredext Identical twins brought up in a milieu which are totally different do not grow up with identical abilities..they differ vastly?
Just to inform the readers here?
3% of ANY population is very intelligent..be it Botswana Burundi or Ecuador or Pakistan?
ONLY with the right nurturing atmosphere,Pakistan can ever hope to put it's talent to work?
India and Pakistan differ in their nurturing capacities for talent and the difference is beginning to tell?
In Pakistan,Malala is shot at for attempting to go to school and school children are shot for attending school?
And,terrorists with an international "standing" get a bail?
Bah!!!:(:(
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Dec 19, 2014 08:54am
From early ancient indian astronomy "SURYA SIDHANTTA" to present space tech in INDIA.....my country really rockzzzz......
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Dec 19, 2014 09:49am
@ROHIT PANDEY They only remember invaders like Khiljis and Ghoris and Qasims who destroyed world class universities. History showed that bhains does get a chance over akal.
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Dec 19, 2014 10:09am
Dont forget many of our scientist in ESRO are muslims also, we have lived together from hundreds of year. Pakistan also had g8 potential in science and gynaecology. we both country can make wonders ....
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Dec 19, 2014 06:29pm
Heartly congrats!
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Dec 20, 2014 12:24am
i strongly condemn the killing of little angels and in favor of dealing with devils with an iron hand.
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Dec 20, 2014 03:28am
India's achievement is Pakistan's achievement. We are same people. Our children should have a shared bright future.
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Dec 21, 2014 01:12am
A little addition was made to India's standing and prestige in the international arena with success of this launch.
I hope the economic growth is on the ascent again in India and the new government allocates more towards the ISRO budget for it to speed up the "Indian in space" program, the launch of an Indian "vyomanaut" into space..and, then on the horizon the "man on moon" program!!!:):):):)
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Dec 22, 2014 02:33pm
@Moiz Omar
I don't know about Pakistan, but India most definitely is not Pakistan's rival.
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