May 22, 2025

On May 16, 2025, ISRO and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) held a collaboration meet to synergise their might to elevate the country’s prowess in space science and Astronomy. The meeting was held in Bengaluru, attended by fifty scientists and engineers from ISRO and TIFR.

In his introductory remarks, Dr. Tirtha Pratim Das, Director of the Space Science Programme at ISRO Headquarters, recalled the historical legacy of the scientific partnership between ISRO and TIFR in building the nation’s space science programme. He underscored the significance of India’s new era of space science exploration, particularly in light of Space Vision 2047, the evolving space ecosystem shaped by Space Sector Reforms and the Space Policy, and the necessity of establishing a formal framework for scientific collaboration with clearly defined targets and milestones. Professor Jayaram N Chengalur, Director of TIFR, emphasized the importance of integrating the scientific and technological capabilities of both institutions. He noted that this collaboration would benefit several domains of space science and astronomy, including millimeter-wave astronomy, space weather, radio astronomy, cosmic ray physics, and planetary science, among others. Professor Yashwant Gupta, Director of the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA), TIFR, elaborated on the capabilities of India's radio astronomy observatories, their modularity within international mega-projects, and the potential areas for collaboration with the national space agency.

The meeting witnessed several breakout sessions for domain-specific discussions. The meeting was concluded with notes of action plan to take the scientific activities forward. This collaboration meeting, organized as ISRO’s effort to build a strong national network for space sciences, marks a major milestone of formal, focused collaboration between ISRO and TIFR, towards attaining excellence in the global arena in the realms of space science and astronomy.