Antarctica Expeditions | Maitri, Dakshin Gangotri and Bharati

Why in news?

• Details were given by Minister of State for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Shri Y.S.Chowdary in Lok Sabha in July 2015 

Details of Indian Antarctica Expeditions:

• Commenced in 1981 that reached Antarctic on 08 January 1982. 
• After operating from Ship and temporary shelters for two years, the first permanent research station Dakshin Gangotri was established in 1983 over the Ice shelf in Central Dronning Maud Land region. 
• The station was abandoned in 1990 as it got buried under snow.
• Since 1988, research base Maitri is operational in the central part of Schirmacher Oasis, in Central Dronning Maudland region of East Antarctica. 
• functional round the year. 
• The newly constructed Bharati station operational since March 2012, is located at in Larsemann Hills, Antarctica. 
• India expedition is launched annually (once in a year) wherein about 100 to 120 members including Scientists, Engineers, Doctors and Tradesmen are sent in batches between November and January of the succeeding calendar year. 
• So far 35 scientific expeditions including a parallel Weddle Sea Expedition in 1989 the year which had two expeditions. More than sixty institutes, R&D organizations, leading universities, survey organizations and IITs are taking part 
•  Currently 41 year-round permanent stations are operated by 30 nations.
• Researches: 
• such as Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology; Earth Sciences including Glaciology, Geomagnetism; Human Physiology and Medicine; Micro-biology; Environmental Sciences, etc.

[Ref: PIB]