ISRO GEARS UP FOR GSDI-7
The Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO) has geared itself up for hosting
the 7th International Conference of the Global Spatial
Data Infrastructure (GSDI) in February next year, in collaboration
with the Department of Science and Technology. The theme is "Spatial
Data Infrastructure for a sustainable future". This is probably
the first time the conference is being held in India, taking into
consideration her advancement in the area. India’s Remote Sensing
is one of the few largest satellite systems in the world. Over
500 delegates from about 85 counties including top world space
agencies like NASA are expected to take part in the conference.
The conference
is also expected to bring more visibility to our own National
Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) and to our national capabilities
in imaging, mapping and Geographical Information System (GIS)
applications. Of late, Spatial data has come to play an important
role in sustainable social, economic and environmental systems
integrated from local to global scales and promote the informed
and responsible use of geographic information and spatial technologies
for the benefit of the society. The GSDI’s ultimate aim is to
turn the world into a truly "global village".
In the coming
days ISRO will launch an array of satellites that will provide
images hitherto not available from any source. These variety of
images will form a cartel to support NSDI and many other initiatives
of SDI at the global level. ISRO also recently developed a full
fledged end-to-end proto type NSDI, with help from the GIS industry,
to demonstrate how the NSDI should be. The proto type NSDI will
soon be un-veiled to the nation. These would provide an opportunity
of leveraging Indian technologies, products and services in the
global market.
