HOW TO PROMOTE REMOTE SENSING - INDIAN EXPERIENCE 
BY 
PROF.B.L. DEEKSHATULU 
DIRECTOR 
NATIONAL REMOTE SENSING AGENCY 
BALANAGAR, HYDERABAD-500 037 
INDIA 
ABSTRACT 
Remote Sensing in India is notable for its success in implementing its promotion through the unique 
National Natural Resources Management System (NNRMS). The major achievements of NNRMS are: 
Establishment of facilities for dissemination, services and education; evolution of appropriate 
application methodologies dictated by user needs; national level remote sensing application projects on 
operational basis; development of indigenous capabilities in all areas of the technology including 
design and development of satellites/sensors; and encouragement to entrepreneurship. The Indian 
experience forms an ideal role model for all developing countries to emulate. 
Key Words: Indian Remote Sensing Activities, Promotion, Experience. 
INTRODUCTION radiometer and Scatterometers. These 
developments had given the confidence in 
The needs of National development particularly designing and fabricating the state-of-art 
in developing countries demand a comprehensive sensors incorporated in the indigenously built 
approach to the management of natural resources. Indian Remote Sensing Satellites (IRS). 
Optimal management of natural resources on a 
self reliant basis requires a long term 
perspective and it calls for a holistic view in REMOTE SENSING - A NECESSARY TOOL 
all resources sectors including socio-economic 
factors. Accurate inventory, assessment and For a country of India's size and population, 
monitoring of available resources periodically the necessity of generating continuous and 
enable the planners to keep an eye on the updated information on land resources and 
development process and to take appropriate environment necessiated for the development of 
timely measures. space based Earth Observation Systems which 
offer unique possibilities in their ability for 
Considering the vast potentials of remote synoptic and systematic acquisition of the 
sensing technology, India has initiated a major related data and making available the same 
programme on remote sensing data utilization to within very short turn around times to resource 
aid in the national development. Towards this, managers and planners. This unique facility 
efforts were initiated in late 70's through a through use of remote sensing data has gained 
series of carefully planned end to end prominence in all the resources sectors leading 
experiments covering various resources themes. to long term planning of Indian Space Programme 
These experiments were conducted by Department involving development of indigenous Indian 
of Space with the active participation of users Remote Sensing Satellites in series with regular 
like Indian Council of Agricultural Research improvements. 
(ICAR). The successful results of these 
experiments provided the basis for the launching The remote sensing activity primarily started 
of major operational and semi-operationsal with the emphasis on national development 
programmes on remote sensing applications in the particularly in the resources sectors of 
country. The major components of the programme Agriculture, Land, Water and Forestry. 
are to develop Space segment, Ground segment 
including infrastructure and interpretation The Bhaskara I & II experimental satellite 
facilities and development of trained manpower. programmes with optical and microwave sensors in 
Space programme in India, consistent with the the time frame of 1976-'82, provided valuable 
stated goal of self-reliance launched activity experience and insight into a number of aspects, 
in developing imaging sensors to conduct many such as sensor system definition and 
experiments for different users. A variety of development, conceptulisation and implementation 
imaging sensors have been developed indigenously of a space platform, ground based data 
for various aircraft/spacecraft in the past two reception, processing, data interpretation and 
decades which include air borne  - thermal utilization as well as matters relating to 
scanner (10.5-12.5 microns), multispectral integration of the remotely sensed data with the 
scanner (.5 to 3.0 microns), Bhaskara I & II conventional data systems for natural resources 
slow scan vidicon (.54 to .66 and .75 to .85 management. 
microns), passive micro wave radiometers (19, 
| 22, 31 GHz, Air borne push broom SS cameras, With this background, Indian Space Programme 
| SLAR, Ground based radiometers, Microwave leaped into a national operational satellite 
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