The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), in association with Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and FOSSE (Free Open Source Software in Education), is hosting an "online mapathon" to promote the use of Indian satellite imagery and other education tools for developing resource maps.
Interested students can apply on the official website of the mapathon, iitb-isro-aicte-mapathon.fossee. The entries have to be submitted between December 14 to 31. The results will be announced from January 4 to 10. The participants will receive certificates jointly issued by AICTE, IIT Bombay, ISRO, and FOSSE.
The event was inaugurated on December 7, 2020 by Mr Anil Sahasrabudhe, Chairman of AICTE, Mr Subhasis Chaudhuri, Director of IIT Bombay and Mr Kannan Moudgalya, Principal Investigator, FOSSEE, IIT Bombay.
This Mapathon is aimed at sensitising the public about the potential of ISRO data for various uses that include tracking natural calamities, floods, droughts, crop failure, soil fertility assessments, water and cropping area, said a statement issued by AICTE.
Mr Subhasis Chaudhuri, Director of IIT Bombay said on the use of ISRO maps: “Even though the Indian government agencies are using ISRO maps as a key tool for resource analysis, most of these maps are not made by common citizens, thus lacking in their comprehensive usage”.
These maps are also expected to have crucial applications in climate change adaptation, education, logistics, natural resources management, disaster management, health, geography, forest management, socio-economic factors and local administration, said the statement.
The event is being held in coordination with the Ministry of Education.
