Prime Minister Narendra Modi today lauded Manipur-born astrophysicist Dr Ronaldo Laishram during the 136th episode of Mann Ki Baat, recognising his contribution to the discovery of a large cluster of young galaxies by an international research team in Japan.
The Prime Minister said Dr Laishram, who is currently based in Japan, was part of the team that discovered the galaxy cluster, which has been named the Loktak Proto-Cluster after Manipur’s iconic Loktak Lake.
“I would like to tell you all about Dr Ronaldo Laishram from Manipur. His name is Ronaldo, but he is an astrophysicist. He works in Japan and was part of the team that discovered a large cluster of young galaxies. They named this entire cluster the Loktak Proto-Cluster, after a beautiful lake in Manipur,” Modi said.
During the programme, the Prime Minister also highlighted several citizen-led initiatives from across the country, including a plastic waste recycling project in Sitamarhi, Bihar, where discarded plastic is converted into public benches, the return of the Indian Grey Hornbill to Gujarat’s Gir forests after nearly six decades, and a mass plantation drive in Ahmedabad in which over 3.5 lakh saplings were planted within an hour.
The Prime Minister said such achievements reflected India’s growing commitment to scientific excellence, environmental conservation and community participation in nation-building.
