Indian Institute of Remote Sensing

The Indian Institute of Remote Sensing is an institute for research, higher education and training in the field of remote sensing, geoinformatics and GPS technology for natural resources, environmental and disaster management. The institute was established in the year 1966 under the Indian Department of Space. It is located in the city of Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

History
Formerly known as Indian Photo-interpretation Institute (IPI), the institute was founded on 21 April 1966 under the aegis of Survey of India (SOI). It was established with the collaboration of the government of the Netherlands on the pattern of the Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) of the University of Twente, formerly known as the International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences. The original idea of setting the institute came from India's first prime minister, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, during his visit to the Netherlands in 1957.

The institute's building at Kalidas Road, Dehradun was inaugurated on 27 May 1972.

Reorganisation of the IIRS as independent unit of ISRO
The IIRS was reorganized as a separate entity of ISRO w.e.f. 30 April 2011. IIRS will continue its Training, Education and Research programmes with enhanced focus on Microwave Remote Sensing, Hyperspectral Remote Sensing and Climate studies.

The institute will be guided by a Management Council which will provide overall direction for the development of the institute. Dr. P.S. Roy, Outstanding Scientist has been appointed as the first Director of IIRS w.e.f 30 April 2011.

Courses
The focus of the IIRS is training and education in the field of Geoinformatics. Technology and applications of Remote Sensing, GIS and GPS are taught in the form of training and education.

Educational courses
M. Tech in Remote Sensing and GIS in Natural Resource Management, affiliated to Andhra University, in one of the following optional streams '''Master's in Science, awarded by ITC, Netherlands in
 * Agriculture and Soils
 * Forestry and Ecology
 * Geosciences
 * Marine and Atmospheric Sciences
 * Human Settlement Analysis
 * Water Resources
 * Satellite Image Analysis & Photogrammetry
 * Geoinformatics
 * Geoinformatics
 * Geo Hazards

Training courses
Post Graduate Diploma (10-month) in Certificate courses (4-month)
 * Agriculture and Soils
 * Forestry and Ecology
 * Geosciences
 * Marine Sciences
 * Human Settlement Analysis
 * Water Resources
 * Digital Photogrammetry
 * Geoinformatics
 * Geo Hazards
 * Basic Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
 * GIS in Geosciences
 * Land Information System
 * GIS in Soils and Land Use Planning
 * GIS in Water Resources Management
 * GIS in Coastal Zone Management
 * GIS in Forest Management
 * Geo-Hazards

Training opportunities for special groups
Environmental Assessment and Disaster Management
 * Special Course
 * Orientation Course in any area of Natural Resource Management,
 * Awareness course/workshop on Geo-Hazards
 * Awareness course/workshop on Geo-Hazards
 * Overview for decision makers

International programmes
Processing (ITEC Sponsored)
 * Short Course on Remote Sensing with special emphasis on Digital Image
 * Short Course on Geoinformatics (ITEC Sponsored)

NNRMS/ISRO sponsored courses
The following NNRMS and ISRO-sponsored courses are for university faculty only.
 * GIS Technology and Applications
 * RS and GIS Applications to Water Resources
 * RS and GIS in Forestry/Botany/Ecology/Wildlife/ Environmental Science
 * RS and GIS in Urban and Regional Planning
 * Cartography and Mapping
 * RS and GIS in Geosciences
 * RS and GIS in Soils and Land Use Planning

International Collaborations
IIRS has collaborations with many reputed international organisations for capacity building, research and faculty exchange. The organisations with which IIRS has/had significant collaborations are: ITC, IHE (International Institute for Infrastructural, Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering) and Wageningen University in The Netherlands; ITTO (International Timber Research Organisation); UNESCO (United Nations Education & Scientific Cooperation Organisation); WMO (World Meteorological Organisation); ADPC (Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre); and NGI (Norwegian Geological Institute).