NEW DELHI: The government has extended invitations to officials from countries that were part of undivided India at that time to mark 150 years of the India Meteorological Department, established in 1875. This includes officials from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Bhutan, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Nepal.
Representatives from the Middle East and Southwest Asia have also been invited to join the celebrations.
Pakistan has confirmed its participation, while the IMD is awaiting confirmation from Bangladesh.
A senior IMD official said, “We wanted officials from all countries that were part of undivided India during the establishment of the IMD to be part of the celebrations.”
The celebrations will include a variety of events such as marathons, exhibitions, workshops and Olympics. To mark the occasion, the Finance Ministry also approved a special commemorative coin of Rs 150.
Apart from the festivities, the IMD will display its first painting during the Republic Day parade, highlighting its legacy and contributions to meteorology.
Born out of necessity during the British era after the devastating Calcutta Cyclone of 1864 and multiple monsoon failures, the IMD began as a modest weather forecasting entity. For 150 years, it has become a world leader in meteorological researchmeteorological communication and forecast.
In its early years, the IMD used telegrams to send weather warnings. Over time, he adopted cutting-edge technology, pioneering the use of electronic computers for meteorological research and introducing India’s first message switching computer for global data exchange.
India also made history as the first developing country to launch its INSAT geostationary satellite, enabling 24-hour weather monitoring and cyclone warning.