From space to chikan, they shared thoughts on all issues

NEW DELHI: “It is very difficult to send people into space. India is doing that at incredible speed. Congratulations to India on launching Chandrayan 3," Thomas Pesquet, French astronaut who holds the European record for the number of hours accumulated in a spacewalk, said after a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

On the day India's Chandrayaan-3 took off successfully, Pesquet praised the Indian government for giving importance to the space programme.

Pesquet, mission specialist for SpaceX Crew-2, who also starred in films like Proxima and Who We Were, said, "Space is used in navigation systems, disaster relief, for urban planning and Prime Minister Modi is focused on these things. India is on the right track and he is taking good decisions to use space for his people."

Pesquet, who after observing forest fires and massive storms has been championing climate awareness, was among the ‘thought leaders’ who met Modi.

The PM's visitors included Leena Nair, the first CEO of Chanel from outside the Wertheimer family who founded the luxury fashion powerhouse. Nair is the second Indian-origin woman after Pepsi's Indira Nooyi to become a global CEO. Talking to the media about the interaction, Nair said Modi discussed how to promote khadi on the global stage and encourage Indian women engaged in ‘chikan’ and other forms of embroidery. Promotion of entrepreneurship among Indian women and the development of India as an investment destination were also discussed.

Modi also met Charlotte Chopin, a 100-year-old yoga practitioner. Known as ‘Granny Yoga’ or ‘Mamie Yoga’, Chopin, who has been teaching yoga for four decades now, told the PM that yoga and a healthy diet were the secrets to her longevity.