Gravitational waves: PM Modi meets LIGO scientists, including 3 Indians

Washington: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met a team of scientists from the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO), who proved gravitational waves theory, in Washington DC.

Insightful interaction with scientists from LIGO, including 3 young Indian scientists who worked on LIGO project. pic.twitter.com/dlEUjZzrc4

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 31, 2016

The team of scientists, which was led by Dr France Cordova, Director of the National Science Foundation, included three young Indian scientists who have worked on the LIGO project.

During the meeting, Dr Cordova explained how India was extremely important for the future of the LIGO project.

Modi’s meeting with the LIGO scientists in Washington DC, comes just two days after he met scientists from the Institute of Plasma Research in New Delhi, who are also working on the LIGO project.

The Prime Minister described the LIGO project as a great example of India-US scientific collaboration, and said the success of this project could well inspire an entire young generation of Indian scientists. He also urged the Indian scientists who are part of the LIGO project to interact with Indian students and visit Indian universities, as much as possihle.

Earlier in the day, an MoU on the establishment of LIGO project in India was signed by Dr Cordova and Dr Sekhar Basu, Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy, India, which was witnessed by the Prime Minister himself.

Modi arrived here early on Thursday to attend the two-day Nuclear Security Summit (NSS), a world summit, aimed at preventing nuclear terrorism around the globe.