Maitri (research station)

Maitri also known as Friendship Research Centre, is India's second permanent research station in Antarctica as part of the Indian Antarctic Programme. The name was suggested by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Work on the station was first started by the Indian Antarctic expedition which arrived the end of December 1984, with a team led by Dr. B. B. Bhattacharya. Squadron Leader D. P. Joshi, the surgeon of the team, was the first camp commander of the tentage at camp Maitri. The first huts were started by the IV Antarctica Expedition and completed in 1989, shortly before the first station, Dakshin Gangotri, was buried in ice and abandoned in 1990–91.^[2] Maitri is situated in the rocky mountainous region called Schirmacher Oasis. It is only 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) away from the Russian Novolazarevskaya Station.

Maitri
Antarctic Research Station
An aerial view of the Indian Station Maitri, Antarctica on 2 February 2005
Maitri Location of Maitri in Antarctica
Coordinates: 70°46′00″S 11°43′55″E
Country	India
Location in Antarctica	Queen Maud Land Antarctica
Administered by	National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research
Established	January 1989 (1989-01)
Elevation [1]	117 m (384 ft)
Population  (2017)[1]
• Summer	45
• Winter	25
UN/LOCODE	AQ MTR
Type	All-year round
Period	Annual
Status	Operational
Activities	List Biology Glaciology Earth science Meteorology
Website	ncpor.res.in

Maitri under construction with lake Indira Priyadarshini in background (1988)

India is planning to replace Maitri research station by a new Maitri-2 station by 2029.^[3]

Facilities

An aerial view of the Indian Station Maitri, Antarctica on 2 February 2005

The station has modern facilities for research in various disciplines, such as biology, earth sciences, glaciology, atmospheric sciences, meteorology, cold region engineering, communication, human physiology, and medicine. It can accommodate 25 people for winter. Fresh water is provided through a freshwater lake named Lake Priyadarshini.

Airfield

ALCI Airbase Novo Runway
IATA: none ICAO: none
Summary
Airport type	Private
Operator	Antarctic Logistics Centre International (ALCI)
Serves	Novolazarevskaya and Maitri
Location	Dronning Maud Land
Opened	6 April 2014 (2014-04-06)
Time zone	(UTC+3.30)
Coordinates	70°49′17″S 11°38′36″E
Map
ALCI Airbase Novo Runway Location of airfield in Antarctica
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 3,000 9,842 Blue Ice

A blue ice runway, located 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) away, operated by Antarctic Logistics Centre International (ALCI) serves the station and Novolazarevskaya.

See also

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