Please highlight some of the recent initiatives undertaken by IIRS?
Recently, we have started moving towards education system by imparting M.Tech in RS and GIS in collaboration with Andhra University and M.Sc in Geoinforamtics and Environmental Assessment and Disaster Management (EADM) in collaboration with ITC, the Netherlands. We have strengthened infrastructure and faculty capacity in the area of Geo-informatics education. We have also focused on curriculum development, modular structure of the programme and development of case studies. Our linkages with ITC, the Netherlands has helped to bring international experiences. We foresee to play an important role in disseminating the knowledge and building professional excellence in the field of geoinformatics.

How do you explain the contribution of IIRS in training ?
IIRS is basically a mid-career intervention institute. It has so far trained around 6,000 professionals in India and from neighboring countries and out of them the major lions share is from Central and state government institutes. Most of them are using these techniques in their parent organizations. Our industry initiatives are more recent. Industry uses mainly technically raw hands and provides on the job training. We want this situation to change.

What are the issues afecting the geospatial science in Indian education ?
In recent past,education in these areas have been included in IITs',various Universities & Colleges. Besides these, vatious state remote sensing centers and other centers have also started imparting training in this direction.Looking at the present scenario,they are meeting the demand.We should not produce another factor of unemployment.Many private industries have also good training programme for the specific need of the industry.There is a need to share experience on curriculum and evolve a strategy on quality education. It is needed to disseminate the education and training at graduate level and even at school level.