It is not an easy task to get an appointment with the director of North East Space Application Centre, or Nesac, because there are strict protocols to be followed. But
Dr PLN Raju is always ready to cooperative to make the process simpler.
The 59-year-old director of Nesac, who describes himself as a “remote sensing application person”, is originally from Alakapuram village in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. After finishing education from government schools, Raju studied BE in Civil Engineering at Manipal Institute of Technology, Mysore University and finished post graduation (MTech in Remote Sensing) from College of Engineering, Guindy, Anna University.
Raju says his interest in space science grew while studying Remote Sensing “as this technology has so much to offer, benefitting the community”. He joined Nesac in 2015 after which he took up several initiatives under the commercial and public domains of space science applications. “As a person, I am on a mission to contribute and spearhead the use of space technology for the northeast, as much as possible during my tenure at NESAC till June 2021,” he says.
In an email interview with
The Shillong Times, Raju speaks about the various NE-specific projects, youth programmes in space science, his experience in Meghalaya and the status of space research in India, among others. Excerpts:
When did you join Nesac and how long is the tenure? Where were you before this?
I joined Nesac in October 2015, serving almost for the last five years and my tenure is for one more year, i.e. till June 2021. Earlier to joining Nesac, I was serving at Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), Dehradun, completing 28 years of experience working in the area of Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics area.
What new projects (both commercial and public) have you taken up after joining Nesac?
The government initiated (Public) Site suitability mapping for sericulture development sponsored by Central Silk Board, GOI.
■ Expansion of Flood Early Warning System alerts for the different States of North East
■ Lightning Early Warning system for North East
■ Space-based inputs for Forest Working Plan preparation
■ Monitoring centrally sponsored schemes like IWMP, PMGSY, NERTPS, NEC sponsored projects for governance and development
■ UAV (drones) Remote Sensing at all State level in North east sponsored by NEC
Commercial / Public Sector
■ Implementation of the State of the art real-time hydro-meteorological monitoring system in catchment areas upstream of Ranganadi hydroelectric project
■ UAV flying and mapping
This year was the 60th anniversary of a first weather satellite. Has Nesac introduced any new technology to the better weather forecast?
Yes, this year is the 60th anniversary of the first weather satellite, i.e., TIROS (Television Infrared Observation Satellite), which was launched by NASA and partners on April 1, 1960. Isro, DOS is one of the first five space-faring nations, developed the expertise and made operational activities like launching rockets (PSLV, GSLV, etc.), building our communication satellites, weather satellites, remote sensing satellites, navigational satellites, and their use, benefitting the country as a whole.
Nesac is effectively using Isro-built weather satellites (INSAT 3D, 3DR) and Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) installed at Cherrapunjee (Shora) in generating rainfall forecast, thunderstorm alerts for northeast.
How are farmers here benefitting from scientific data, weather warning etc?
The weather forecast, thunderstorm alerts are made available through NERDRR (North Eastern Region – Disaster Risk Reduction) portal and disseminated to government officials (agriculture, water resources, and disaster management authorities). Nesac also supports with rainfall forecasting using weather models and alerting government officials and farmers, particularly during floods. Besides, Nesac generate thunderstorm/lightning alerts and inform the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMAs) well in advance for further action from the States NER.
How is Nesac working to create interest in students about space science?
You may be aware that Isro, DOS is creating a lot of interest in students about space science by organising many events at the national level and state level in promoting space science. The prominent among them are:
■ YUVIKA (Young Scientist) programme at the national level by selecting three students of 9th class (on merit) from each state. A total of 108 students provided state-of-the-art training related to space science and technology. NESAC is the nodal center for all eight NE States, in addition to West Bengal. It will be conducted every year from 2019 onwards.
■ 2019 – 2020 is the centenary year of celebrating Father of Indian space programme, Dr Vikram Sarabhai, starting with a national programme organised at SAC, Ahmedabad, on August 12, 2019. As part of the centenary celebrations, Nesac is provided with a space on wheels mobile exhibition bus to organise exhibition cum exciting competitions for school children’s in all states of the northeast. A very large number of students visited the space on wheels exhibition bus and participated in competitions. So far, Nesac organised four such events in Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Tripura.
■ Isro has also planned Isro Cyberspace Competition 2020 (ICC – 2020), made open to all school students (for all classes i.e., 1 to 12) with competitions in drawing, model making, essay completion, and space quiz contest with encouraging prizes for the winners. All are done online and to participate from home during July-August 2020, concluding on the birth anniversary of Dr Vikram Sarabhai on August 12, 2020. NESAC is the nodal point for the North East part of India.
Can you give some details about the recent exhibition and similar other events involving youths?
Nesac participated in the 2nd Emerging North East 2019 exhibition-cum-conference on February 20-22, 2019, in Guwahati, sponsored by Isro, DOS based on request from OMPR, ISRO.
■ Space on wheels-Mobile Space Exhibition Bus as part of the Dr Vikram A Sarabhai Centenary Celebration programme, a state of art Mobile Space Museum has been developed by ISRO on a bus. In the “Space Museum on wheel” model of launch vehicles (SLV, ASLV, PSLV, GSLV), satellites (polar and geostationary), Vikash Engine, Cryo stage, RLV-RD, NAVIC, ISRO extra planetary missions etc. have been kept and organised in systematic manner for live interaction / explanation etc. Some of the models are self explanatory using interactive command base software. Large number of visitors including students participated enthusiastically. A team from NESAC along with a Mobile Space Exhibition Bus visited across North East as per the following details:
■ CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat for students and scientists
■ 27th State Level National Children Science Congress held in Domdooma, Assam and Sibsagar College, Sivasagar during November 2-4, 2019.
■ Annual state level fair on Science, Mathematics and Environment conducted at Maharani Tulsibati Girls Higher Secondary School, Agartala, Tripura during January 2-4, 2020
■ Dr Vikram Sarabhai Centenary Celebrations Program organised at SMIT, Majitar, Rangpo, Sikkim.
What is the status of space research in India?
Nesac’s main objective is to expand space applications by user organisations in North East. Nesac is providing support and related research activities in the following areas:
■ Natural Resource Management (agriculture, forestry, ecology, earth science and water resources etc.)
■ Disaster Management Support under NER – DRR
■ Space Science and Meteorology
■ Infrastructure Development
■ Natural Resources Asset mapping and monitoring as part of governance and development Space technology, GIS, GNSS, ICT, web services, IOT, A.I., and DL/ML advancements are playing an important role in providing enhanced space technology application support to the User Community.
■ Space research in India is taking place in a big way. Isro spearheads it through its centres (VSSC, URSC, LPSC, SAC, IPRC, SDSC, NRSC, etc.) in the rockery, satellite technology (i.e., earth observation, satellite communication, meteorology, planetary science, navigation, etc.). RESPOND is one of the research initiatives that Isro is supporting academic institutions in researching the whole spectrum of space.
What are the challenges of working in the North East?
Many challenges are there. The poor infrastructure (road) connectivity, mountainous, hilly terrain, and more importantly, communication links are limited across the North East. It is for Nesac to address the said challenges in bringing the North East on a par with the mainland of India. Space technology is playing an essential role in implementing many centrally sponsored Schemes and Act East Policy initiatives of the Government of India.
How was the lockdown period? What were the arrangements made at Nesac?
The lockdown period was a difficult time for Nesac. The government of India (NDMA, MoHFW, and DOS) and the Government of Meghalaya guidelines were strictly complied with. Nesac has supported developing web portal and mobile apps to fight against Coronavirus in collaboration with Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
How much work was hampered due to lockdown?
Lockdown has hampered the regular work at Nesac. It has helped to work online for Nesac. Still, many times our work involves field visits as part of many application projects such as sericulture, agriculture, forestry, urban and water resources. Lockdown has, therefore, hampered an essential component of field visits and precious time. Besides, we could not conduct training programmes due to lockdown.
Are you working with BSNL for providing SAT phones in border villages where there is no mobile network? How long will it take?
Nesac is not directly involved with BSNL for satellite-based communication for border/remote, inaccessible villages. As I understand, Isro launched the GSAT-29 communication satellite on November 14, 2018, with a dedicated spot beam in Ku and Ka-band covering North East and Jammu & Kashmir regions. BSNL is directly in contact with Isro, DOS, for allocation of required bandwidth for connecting around 5,000 gram panchayats in the North East. It is progressing.
What are the risks/positives involved in providing SAT link in border areas?
The North East comprises eight states bounded with more than 5,000 km of international boundary with Bangladesh, China, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar. Security is the primary concern for all these states, in addition to difficult mountain and inaccessible terrain. Providing SAT phones will help in strengthening homeland security at the national and state levels in border areas of the North East.
Coming back to you, were you always interested in space science? What were your favourite sci-fi books as a child?
I have served more than 32 years in Isro. It is my dream to work for Isro. I am very well satisfied in enabling the use of space technology at grassroots/community level, particularly in the northeastern part of India that is very much in need of it.
I am not habituated to read scientific books but always used to think how, as a scientist of Isro, I am useful for the community.
What are your hobbies/interests? How would you describe yourself?
My hobbies are playing games such as table tennis, volleyball, and badminton. I am a marathon runner and participated in half and full marathons after joining NESAC. I have developed the habit of running over the last many years and it has kept me healthy and strong.
I describe myself as a remote sensing (space technology) application person having experience of more than 32 years. Since my posting at NESAC for the last five years, I tried to expand and popularise the use of space technology applications in Northeast among user departments, branding NESAC as Centre of Excellence of ISRO/DOS.
Have you been around Meghalaya? How do you like Shillong/NE?
Meghalaya is a very beautiful
place with unique tourist places such as Sohra (Cherrapunji), Mawsynram (world’s highest rainfall), Asia’s cleanest village Mawlynnong, Krem Puri cave (discovered as a the longest cave in India), double living root bridge (only specific to Meghalaya) and rainbow falls etc. I like Shillong, Meghalaya and Northeast as a whole very much.