13 milestone achievements by Indians in 2023 that had their fellow citizens over the moon

Every year, the list of milestone achievements by Indians only grows longer but this time, it really felt like an Indian was in the news for breaking a record almost every other week. Earlier this year, Chandrayaan-3’s landing on the moon had the entire world glued to their television screens. A few months prior, ‘Naatu Naatu’ brought home the Oscar for Best Original Song in addition to a live performance by singers Rahul Sipligun and Kaala Bhairava, and a group of dancers. India’s achievements have a way of bringing the whole nation together in celebration—and in 2023, we had a lot to be proud of. Here are 12 milestone achievements by Indians in 2023, from the nation being recognised on a global scale to successes closer to home.

The ‘rocket women’ behind Chandrayaan-3’s success

Inevitably, the first thing that comes to mind when we talk of milestone achievements by Indians in 2023: in a historic feat, ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 mission successfully landed a spacecraft in the South Pole region of the moon on 23 August 2023. This not only marked a monumental leap for space exploration but also for women who have toiled for a seat in the male-dominated field of science. Notably, over 100 women scientists and engineers contributed to this historic mission. While Ritu Karidhal Srivastava—senior scientist on Chandrayaan-3—played a crucial role in the mission’s triumph, other women shaping the project included scientist and operations specialist Nandini Harinath, associate project director Kalpana K and scientist and project director Anuradha TK.

Kartiki Gonsalves became the first Indian film director to win the Academy Award