Highlights: Pragyan rover rolls out of Chandrayaan-3 lander on Moon

*Back in Sep 2019, when Chandrayaan-2, the current mission's direct predecessor, failed to achieve the same goal, several politicians from the neighbouring country had mocked India.

*At least one of them, Fawad Chaudhry, who was minister at the time, has now taken a ‘U-turn’ Read

All set to initiate the Automatic Landing Sequence (ALS). Awaiting the arrival of Lander Module (LM) at the designated point, around 17:44 hours: ISRO

*On Chandrayaan-3's landing day, Zomato posts a fresh ‘dahi-shakkar' post.

*It shared a ‘dahi-shakkar’ post on July 14 as well, the day the mission took off.

*As per Hindu traditions, feeding sweet yogurt (dahi-shakkar) to someone before they set out to achieve something, brings good luck for the task ahead.

As the excitement soars high amidst the landing scheduled for Chandrayaan-3, have a look at India’s quantum jump in the space sector under the leadership PM Shri Narendra Modi in the last 9 years: Jitendra Singh, Union minister

Yoga guru Ramdev performs ‘puja’ for the success of the mission, in Haridwar.

*It is a big day. It is a fantastic thing for anyone on the planet, and not just India, to be able to send this precision with which we have been able to send Chandrayaan-3, and also through a process that is different from others: Kartikeya Sarabhai

*“In science and engineering, we learn from mistakes. It will be a great thing for humanity because no one has been able to land on the south side of the Moon.”

*So far so good, and we expect as per plan 'A' today we must be able to land.. Like anyone else, I am also largely awaiting: M Annadurai, Padmashree awardee

*After the discovery of water by Chandrayaan-1, the world was trying to look at the moon differently"

Everyone in India is eagerly waiting for that to happen. Everyone has great expectations, and I am also looking forward to the successful landing of the rover on the surface of the Moon: Oleg Nikolayevich Avdeev, Russia's Consul General to South India

As far as the Indian space program is concerned, it is going to be the most significant milestone for planetary exploration. The last 20 minutes of descending from the lunar orbit to the lunar surface are going to be the most challenging moment in the history of this mission: G Madhavan Nair, ex-ISRO chief

*Chandrayaan-3's lander module comprises of Vikram (the lander) and Pragyan (the rover).

*Currently, the module is at a distance of 25 km from the nearest point on Moon, and 134 km from the farthest.

*ISRO will begin the mission's final descent at 5:45pm IST, and attempt the landing at 6:04pm.

Devotees at Ajmer Sharif offer special prayers for success of India's third mission to Moon, ahead of its scheduled soft-landing at 6:04pm.

The lander is at the doorstep of the Moon. It's a matter of few hours before it will make a landing attempt: Dr TV Venkateswaran, senior scientist.

Devotees at Madhya Pradesh's Bageshwar Dham offer special prayers for the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the lunar surface.

Sadhus in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi perform a ‘havan’ praying for the success of Chandrayaan-3.

The live telecast of the landing operations will begin at 5:20pm IST on Wednesday. The historic event will be streamed ISRO website, its YouTube channel, and Facebook page. Public broadcaster DD National TV will also air the landing attempt from 5:27pm IST.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in South Africa to attend the 15th BRICS Summit, will virtually witness the landing attempt of Chandrayaan 3 on the lunar surface as part of the country's third lunar mission.

Indian students and research scholars in Uxbridge, London organised a special prayer at the Adya Shakti Mataji Temple for the successful landing of Chandrayaan 3 on the Moon.

A student present at the prayer said: “We are gathered here for the successful landing of the Chandrayaan-3. In the UK, every student and every professionals are wishing for the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 and we are just wishing that everything goes smoothly and according to the plan and I wish and congratulate all the scientists of ISRO and the Indian government as well.”

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday credited the foundation stone laid by first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru for ISRO's lunar mission.

 "It's a big achievement for the country and the hard work of our scientists. 'Jo Aadharshila (foundation stone) Nehru Ji ne rakha, aaj world mein danka baja raha hai'. Best wishes to our scientists," CM Baghel said.

"Indian diaspora here in America are so excited to watch the Chandrayaan-3 to land on the Moon," said Indian-American cardiologist Dr Avinash Gupta on Tuesday.

With Chandrayaan-3 gearing up for its landing on Moon, there's an interesting story of its genesis and how it got its name. Back in 1999 when the lunar mission was given governmental approval, India's prime minister was Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He not only motivated space scientists to explore the moon but also used his Sanskrit skills to rename the mission 'Chandrayaan' instead of ‘Somayaan.’ Read more…

Mocking the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for years, former Pakistan minister Fawad Hussain on Tuesday praised India's third lunar mission ‘Chandrayaan 3’, calling it a “historic moment for humankind”. Read more…

Prayers are resonating around the globe, as people of various religious affiliations unite for the successful landing of India's Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon's South Pole. From the Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh to the United States, special rituals, prayers, and ceremonies are being conducted to invoke blessings for Chandrayaan-3's success.

ISRO Chairman S Somanath recently said the most critical part of the landing will be the process of reducing the velocity of the lander from 30 km height to the final landing, and the ability to reorient the spacecraft from horizontal to vertical direction. "This is the trick we have to play here," he said.

Havan was performed at a temple in Virginia, US for the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3.

"Today we are performing havan for the success of Chandrayaan. We are praying to Lakshminarasimha Swamy and also performing 'Maha Ganapati Havan'. Due to the blessings of Lakshminarasimha Swamy, this mission will be successful," one Sai A. Sharma said.

BJP leader Mohsin Raza on Tuesday prayed for the success of Chandrayaan-3 at Hazrat Shah Meena Shah Dargah in Lucknow.

"All people of the country are excited for #Chandrayaan3 and are praying for its success. We are also praying for its successful landing and it will be a proud moment for the country," Raza told ANI.