The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is celebrating its 150th Foundation Day withPrime Minister Narendra Modi, who calls it a “glorious journey of modern science and technology”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled Mission Mausam on the 150th Foundation Day of the IndiaMeteorological Department(IMD) in a push to make India a climate-smart nation and underscored his commitment towards a sustainable future and climate readiness.

Addressing the event, Modi said, The progress of scientific institutions of any country shows its awareness towards science. Research and innovation in scientific institutions is a part of the temperament of the new India. In the last 10 years, there has been an unprecedented expansion of the infrastructure and technology of IMD.”

Calling 150 years of the top weather agency a glorious journey of modern science and technology of India,” PM Modi said Indias disaster management capabilities have significantly improved due to advancements in meteorological technology, which has proved beneficial not only for the country but also for the global community.

In these 150 years, the IMD has not only served crores of Indians, but has also become a symbol of Indias scientific journey,” he said. The Prime Minister also announced a new postage stamp and a special commemorative coin to mark these achievements.

Mission Mausam

Prime Minister Modis Mission Mausam” is an initiative to develop cutting-edge weather surveillance technologies and systems, implementing high-resolution atmospheric observations, next-generation radars and satellites, and high-performance computers to boost Indias climate readiness.

The initiative will also focus on improving the understanding of weather and climate processes, provide air quality data that will help strategize weather management and intervention in the long run.

Meteorology offers the most important support for the disaster management capability of any country. To minimize the impact of natural disasters, we need to maximize the efficiency of meteorology,” PM Modi said. There is a need to develop warning systems for earthquakes, and the scientists and researchers should work in this direction.”

He also urged scientists to work towards developing warning systems forearthquakes, underscoring that advancements in science and the ability to harness its potential are the cornerstone of a countrys global reputation.

PM Modi also praised the IMD for organizing the National Meteorological Olympiad, which saw thousands of students participating, further fueling their interest in meteorology. He emphasized that IMDs 150-year journey mirrors Indias advancements in science and technology.

PM Modi highlighted the significant strides made in IMDs infrastructure and technology. In the last 10 years, there has been an unprecedented expansion of the infrastructure and technology of IMD, he noted, adding that the number of modern facilities such as Doppler weather radar, automatic weather stations, runway weather monitoring systems, and district-wise rainfall monitoring stations have increased manifold. He also pointed out how Indias space and digital technologies are benefiting meteorology, citing the countrys two meteorological observatories, Maitri and Bharati, located in Antarctica.

PM Modi also connected the foundation of IMD to the cultural significance of Makar Sankranti, celebrated on the same day. IMD was founded on 15th January 1975, on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. As a person from Gujarat, Makar Sankranti is my favorite festival. On this day, people of Gujarat go to their terraces to fly kites, and I too would do the same when I was in Gujarat, PM Modi said, reflecting on his personal connection to the festival.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh, present at the event, commended IMDs advancements, revealing that the accuracy of weather forecasts has improved by 50% over the past decade. He also noted that the number of radar networks has significantly increased from a handful to 39 under PM Modis leadership.