March 24, 2025
IIRS is organising Academia/ User Meet since 2013 to apprise stakeholders on the advances in Geospatial Technology and Applications vis-à-vis role of IIRS in capacity building and research; and to understand and explore new opportunities under capacity building with user organisations. This year, the IIRS Academia Meet (IAM) was held on March 21, 2025 on the theme “Exploring Himalaya: EO Perspectives and Insights”.
The program included the deliberations on challenges and issues in Himalayan region, information available from space-based systems, requirements of stakeholder departments, and the capacity building requirements in this field. Shri A.S. Kiran Kumar, Chair of APEX Science Board of ISRO; Member, Space Commission & Chairman, PRL Governing Council graced the occasion as Chief Guest. Shri Hitesh Kumar S. Makwana (IAS), Surveyor General of India and Prof. S.P. Singh, former Vice Chancellor, Garhwal University also graced the occasion as Guest of Honour. Dr. M. Madhu, Director, ICAR- ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil & Water Conservation, Dehradun and Dr. M.K. Goel, Director, National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), Roorkee were invited as Special Guest. Eminent speakers from various academic and research institutions deliberated during the two technical sessions: (i) Hydrosphere-Cryosphere Interactions in Himalaya Session (Technical Session-1), and (ii) Himalayan Biosphere & Lithosphere: Opportunities & Threats (Technical Session-2), Later, a panel discussion was also organized on the theme: ‘Future Directions in EO Science & Applications for Himalayan Region’.
Discussions during the event highlighted the need for future Himalayan research programs to prioritize actionable studies on climate change and sustainable development goals. This should be achieved through process-based models leveraging advanced data science approaches, including AI and ML technologies. The event witnessed active participation from 46 academic and research institutions in physical mode, while 104 institutions joined virtually. Additionally, students, researchers, and scientists from IIRS, ISRO also took part. The outcomes of IAM-2025 will play a crucial role in further enhancing IIRS's training, education, and research initiatives.