Chennai: Both President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists for the successful launch of GSLV – MkIII D1/GSAT-19 mission.

The country’s heaviest rocket the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) MarkIII D1 carrying communication satellite GSAT-19 lifted off from Sriharikota at 5.28 pm yesterday and was soon put in orbit successfully.

ISRO Chief A.S. Kiran Kumar also took the opportunity to congratulate the entire team which worked on this project. “It is a historic day.. both the GSLV Mk-III and the GSAT-19 launch have been successful.. we are looking forward to its (GSAT-19) operations,” Kiran Kumar said and added “This month there are lot of activities. On June 23, there will be a PSLV and on June 28, a GSAT-17 satellite launch.”

The ISRO scientists yesterday successfully launched the country’s heaviest rocket GSLV-MkIII D1 carrying 3,136 kg communication satellite GSAT-19 from the spaceport of Sriharikota.