KENDRAPARA: For people residing in remote villages of Kendrapara, birthdays are not a big thing. But ‘August 23’ will be a special day for four couples as their babies’ birth would remind them of the country’s extraordinary feat.
As India celebrated the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the moon’s south pole, parents of babies born at the district headquarters hospital of Kendrapara on Wednesday named their newborns after the lunar mission to commemorate the historic moment. All the four children - three boys and a girl - were named ‘Chandrayaan.’
Minutes after Chandrayaan-3’s smooth landing on the moon, Ranu Mallick of Aripada village gave birth to a son. “I am delighted. Since our baby was born a few minutes after the successful landing of Chandrayaan on the moon, we decided to name him after the mission,” said an overjoyed Pravat, Ranu’s husband.
Similarly, Durga Mandal (18) of Talachua village gave birth to a baby girl while two others Joshnyarani Bal of Nilakanthapur and Bebina Sethi of Angelei village gave birth to sons. “All the three mothers have also decided to name their children ‘Chandrayaan’,” said Anjana Sahoo, head nurse at Kendrapara government hospital.
Additional district medical officer of Kendrapara Dr Pramod Kumar Praharaj said naming the babies after Chandrayaan is a unique way of celebrating the successful lunar mission of ISRO.