Fact Check: Old video of ISRO chief dancing shared as Chandrayaan-3 landing celebrations
The video is from an event during the G20 space economy leaders’ meeting in July 2023.
By Md Mahfooz Alam Published on 25 Aug 2023 3:58 PM IST
Screengrab from the X post.
Hyderabad: A video showing Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief S Somanath dancing with others is going viral on social media. Users claim that it shows the ISRO chief and other scientists partying after the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the lunar surface on August 23.
An X user shared the video with the caption, “After soft landing our beloved scientists are dancing like crazy in full ecstasy…Thank you ISRO for this wonderful moment. (sic)”
(Image Credit: X/@MadhurGovindam)
Multiple X and Facebook users have shared the video claiming the same.
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the video is from an event during the G20 space economy leaders’ meeting on July 2023.
We ran a relevant keyword search and came across a tweet by Sidharth MP, a journalist working for WION. He tweeted the video naming Dr S Somanath and the team in the caption, and that the ISRO team should celebrate for making ‘1.4+bn hearts swell with pride.’
(Image Credit: X/@sdhrthmp)
However, in the comments of the same tweet, he clarified that he had filmed the video during an event held earlier this year and it doesn’t show Somanath and his team celebrating the success of Chandrayaan-3 landing.
(Image Credit: X/@sdhrthmp)
Further, we came across a fact-check done by news agency PTI. The fact-check quoted Sidharth as saying, “This video is from an event in July (last month) in Bengaluru. It was the G20 space economy leaders meeting cultural night event,” Sidharth MP, a journalist based in Bengaluru representing WION News, told PTI. He added, “Last night (post-success) is the first time this video is being put out from my side. I only wanted to post this video when the Chandrayaan-3 lands on the moon. It was a feel-good moment.”
Next, we checked for the event on the website of ISRO and found the 4th edition of the Space Economy Leaders Meeting (SELM), organised by ISRO, Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) and New Space India Ltd (NSIL) in Bengaluru during July 6-7, 2023.
The event was attended by representatives of space agencies of 18 G20 countries, eight invited countries, and one international organisation. To showcase the rich heritage and hospitality of India, a cultural program and a gala dinner were organised for the guests.
For further confirmation, NewsMeter has reached out to Sidharth. The story will be updated as and when he responds.
