India Joins Elite Club: Celebrates Membership In Square Kilometre Array Observatory
India Joins Elite Club: Celebrates Membership In Square Kilometre Array Observatory
India’s formal membership in the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) was celebrated at the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) in Pune on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone in the country’s scientific community. Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) Prof Abhay Karandikar, and a delegation from SKAO, led by Director-General Prof Phil Diamond, attended the event.
India’s membership in SKAO was finalized in July 2024, after signing and ratifying the Convention Establishing the SKAD. The Government of India has committed ₹1,250 crore to support India’s activities in the SKA project up to 2031, funded jointly by DAE and DST. This investment is expected to boost India’s scientific research and innovation.
Prof Yogesh Wadadekar of NCRA-TIFR, coordinating the efforts to build the SKA Regional Centre (SRC) in India, emphasized the significance of the centre. “The SRC will process, store, and provide access to SKAO data products for the astronomy community.” A prototype of the regional centre is currently being developed at NCRA .
According to Prof Yashwant Gupta, Director of NCRA and lead scientist for India’s participation in SKAO, India’s membership will bring numerous benefits to Indian industry. “We plan to make in-kind contributions in areas such as radio frequency electronics, digital hardware, and signal processing systems,” he said. Prof Phil Diamond highlighted India’s substantial contributions to SKAO, spanning science, engineering, and governance.
The membership enhances India’s position in the global scientific forum, connecting five continents through scientific excellence. As Mohanty noted, this achievement is a remarkable milestone for DAE, marking its platinum jubilee. The collaboration is poised to create one of the world’s most ambitious research infrastructures.
