Bharati (research station)

Bharati is a permanent Antarctic research station commissioned by India. It is India's third Antarctic research facility and one of two active Indian research stations, alongside Maitri. India's first committed research facility, Dakshin Gangotri, is being used as a supply base. India has demarcated an area beside Larsemann Hills at 69°S, 76°E for construction. The research station has been operational since 18 March 2012, though it is still being run on trial basis and formal launch is awaited.^[3][4] Since its completion, India has become one of nine nations to have multiple stations within the Antarctic Circle. Bharati's research mandate focuses on oceanographic studies and the phenomenon of continental breakup. It also facilitates research to refine the current understanding of the Indian subcontinent's geological history. News sources have referred to the station as "Bharathi",^[5] "Bharti"^[6] and "Bharati".^[7][8]

Bharati Antarctic research station

Bharati Station
Antarctic Research Station
Bharati Station Location of Bharati Station in Antarctica
Coordinates: 69°24′29″S 76°11′14″E
Country	India
Location in Antarctica	Larsemann Hills Prydz Bay
Administered by	National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research
Established	18 March 2012 (2012-03-18)
Elevation [1]	35 m (115 ft)
Population  (2017)[1]
• Summer	46
• Winter	23
Type	All-year round
Period	Annual
Status	Operational
Activities	List Oceanography Geology
Website	National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research

Bharati Heliport
IATA: none ICAO: none
Summary
Airport type	Private
Owner/Operator	National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research
Location	Bharati Station Larsemann Hills
Coordinates	69°24′24″S 76°11′36″E
Map
Bharati Heliport Location of airfield in Antarctica
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m Concrete
[2]

Facilities

The project for setting up of the ground was undertaken by the Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) from the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) for a contract value of ₹230 crore (US$28 million).^[9] The station building, with a floor area of 2,162 square metres (23,270 sq ft), was constructed in 127 days.^[10] The station can host a total of 72 personnel, 47 in the main building all year round^[1] and an additional 25 in shelters during summer. The main station building is supported by a fuel farm and station, sea water pump and a summer camp.^[11]

This station is also being utlized by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for Antarctica Ground Station for Earth Observation Satellites (AGEOS), for receiving Indian Remote sensing Satellite (IRS) (like CARTOSAT-2, SCATSAT-1, RESOURCESAT-2/2A and CARTOSAT-1 satellites) raw data and beaming back this high-speed satellite raw data in real time from Bharati Station to NRSC in Hyderabad for processing the images since mid 2010s.^[12]

In 2007, ECIL also established the communication link between Maitri, the second Indian research station in Antarctica and National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR). Among others, research on tectonics and geological structures would be undertaken at Bharati Station by Indian scientists.^[13]

India also became the first nation to use the shipping containers as integral part of construction and hence constructing its base in record time and money.^[14]

Discoveries and achievements

In January 2017, Felix Bast, one of the scientists on the 36th Indian expedition to the Antarctic, discovered a new moss species at Larsemann Hills, near the Bharati research station, and named it Bryum bharatiense.^[15]

See also

• Dakshin Gangotri First Indian station 1983, converted to support base
• Maitri Second Indian station 1989
• Defence Research and Development Organisation
• Defence Institute of High Altitude Research
• Indian Antarctic Program
• Indian Astronomical Observatory
• Jantar Mantar, Jaipur
• National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research
• Siachen Base Camp (India)
• List of Antarctic field camps
• List of Antarctic research stations
• List of highest astronomical observatories

References

1. Antarctic Station Catalogue (PDF) (catalogue). Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs. August 2017. p. 83. ISBN 978-0-473-40409-3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 October 2022. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
2. "Antarctic Facilities". COMNAP. Archived from the original on 1 January 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
3. Abhai Mishra & Bhagwati Prasad. "Inauguration of India's new Antarctic Station 'Bharati'". Stamps of India. Archived from the original on 15 September 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
4. Paul Fernandes (26 June 2012). "India's station in Antarctic operational". The Times of India. Delhi, India. Archived from the original on 25 July 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
5. "Third Antarctica research station by 2011". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 20 February 2009. Archived from the original on 11 April 2009.
6. "Bharti to be 3rd Indian station in Antarctica", The Times of India, 6 August 2009
7. "Budget boost for gas hydrates, polar sciences research". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 16 February 2009. Archived from the original on 7 November 2012.
8. Activities at Maitri & Bharati
9. "Bharti to be 3rd Indian station in Antarctica | Chennai News - Times of India". The Times of India.
10. "NCPOR Significant Achievements". National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research. National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
11. "Bharati Research Station". National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research. National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
12. "Aboutus_Org_DRS | NRSC Web Site". www.nrsc.gov.in. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
13. Mallikarjun, Y. (2 May 2012). "State of the art Bharati station to come up soon". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
14. Gendall, John (6 January 2020). "The Coolest Architecture on Earth Is in Antarctica". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
15. "India discovers new plant species in Antarctica". BBC News. 8 July 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2021.

External links

• National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research