The government of India has sent invitations to all countries, along with Pakistan, that were once part of undivided India, to celebrate the completion of 150 years of the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The invitations have been sent to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Nepal officials. The guest list also includes officials from the Middle East and Southwest Asia. Meanwhile, while Pakistan has confirmed its participation, Bangladesh's response is awaited.
"We wanted officials from all countries which were part of undivided India at the time of IMD's establishment to be part of the celebrations," said a senior IMD official.
Ministry of Finance approves commemorative coin
To make the celebrations memorable, the Ministry of Finance has approved a special Rs 150 commemorative coin. From marathons to exhibitions, and workshops to Olympiads, the festivities are expected to be as vibrant as India's weather itself.
For the first time, the IMD will showcase its tableau in the Republic Day parade.
The history of IMD
Born in 1875 during the British era, the IMD turns 150 on January 15. Its creation came after a cyclone devastated Calcutta in 1864 and back-to-back monsoon failures in 1866 and 1871. What began as a humble setup has evolved into a powerhouse of weather forecasting, communication, and scientific innovation.
In the age of telegrams, the IMD sent weather warnings the old-school way. Later, it became a tech pioneer, introducing India's first message-switching computer for global data exchange and one of the earliest electronic computers for meteorological research.
India also broke ground as the first developing country to launch its geostationary satellite, INSAT, for round-the-clock weather monitoring and cyclone alerts.
(With PTI inputs)
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