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 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. Maitri is situated in the rocky mountainous region called Schirmacher Oasis. It is only 5 km away from the Russian Novolazarevskaya Station.

India is planning to replace Maitri research station by 2029.

Facilities


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