Maitri

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This article concerns the Maitri Antarctic station. For discussion of the literal meaning of the word maitri, please see metta.

Maitri station.

Maitri, the Indian station in the continent of Antarctica, is situated on the rocky mountainous region called Schirmacher Oasis. It has all the modern facilities to carry out research in various disciplines such as Biology, Earth Sciences, Glaciology, Atmospheric Sciences, Meteorology, Cold region Engineering, Communication, Human Physiology and Medicine. It has a capacity to accommodate 25 people for winter. Fresh water supply is provided through a fresh water lake (named - Priyadarshini) in front of Maitri. By virtue of India’s sustained interest and demonstrative capabilities in the domain of polar science, the country has achieved several milestones.

[edit] Milestones

12th September, 1983: India was admitted to the Antarctic Treaty on 19 August 1983 and soon thereafter obtained Consultative Status.
1983: The permanent station Dakshin Gangotri was built, where the first Wintering was conducted.
October 1, 1984: India was admitted as a member of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR).
1986: India became a member of Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR).
1988-89: India built its second indigenous station ‘Maitri’.
1997: India ratified the Environment Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty, thus upholding its commitment to preserve the pristine continent.
2005: India completed its 25 years in Antarctica and expedition launched in Dec 2005 is the Silver Jubilee Indian Antarctic Expedition. Summer team of XXV Indian Antarctic Expedition has returned successfully to India while Winter team is still in Maitri, Antarctica. Leader of this expedition is Mr. L. PremKishore (NGRI, Hyderabad).

International bilateral co-operations in various domains of polar science were pursued with various Treaty nations.

[edit] Expeditions

The chapter of Indian Antarctic Programme opened in 1981 when the first Indian Expedition was flagged off for Antarctica from Goa. Subsequently, annual Antarctic expeditions are being sent through Department of Ocean Development / National Centre for Antarctic & Ocean Research. So far, twenty-one such expeditions have been launched including one to the Weddell Sea and one being the krill expedition to the Southern Ocean. S. Z. Quasim was the leader of the first Indian Expedition, which was launched in December 1981.