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Indian Institute of Remote Sensing

Overview

The Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) is a constituent unit of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Department of Space, Government of India. Located in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, the institute is engaged in capacity building, education, training and research in the fields of remote sensing, geoinformatics and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for natural resources management, environmental monitoring and disaster studies.

Key facts

Type Autonomous educational and research institute
Parent organisation Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Department of Space
Location Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
Focus areas Remote sensing, GIS, geoinformatics, photogrammetry, satellite image analysis
Affiliation for academic programmes Andhra University and others (for selected degree programmes)
International partner University of Twente / ITC, the Netherlands (joint programmes)

Background

IIRS traces its origins to the establishment of an institutional facility in Dehradun for training in aerial photo interpretation and photogrammetry, evolving over the decades into a centre dedicated to spaceborne earth observation. It was later integrated into the ISRO ecosystem and developed into a full-fledged training and academic institute serving Indian and international participants.

The institute draws on India's remote sensing satellite programme, including data from the Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) series, Cartosat, Resourcesat, RISAT and other earth observation missions for academic and applied work.

Academic programmes

IIRS conducts a range of programmes aimed at students, working professionals and government officials:

  • Postgraduate Diploma and M.Tech / M.Sc. programmes in remote sensing and GIS, including a long-running joint M.Sc. programme with the Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), University of Twente.
  • Doctoral (Ph.D.) research in geoinformatics and earth observation applications.
  • Short-term certificate courses for professionals from central and state government departments, academia and industry.
  • Specialised training for officers from developing countries under the Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific (CSSTEAP), affiliated to the United Nations, which is hosted at IIRS.

Outreach and distance learning

IIRS runs an extensive outreach programme that delivers live and recorded lectures on remote sensing and GIS to universities, research institutions and government departments across India through its EDUSAT-based and internet-based distance learning platform. The programme has enabled wide participation by students and faculty from institutions that do not have specialised earth observation laboratories.

Research and applications

Research at IIRS spans several thematic areas, including:

  • Agriculture and soils
  • Forestry and ecology, including biodiversity characterisation
  • Water resources and cryosphere studies
  • Urban and regional studies
  • Geosciences and geohazards
  • Marine and atmospheric sciences
  • Photogrammetry, cartography and advanced geocomputation

The institute participates in national missions and projects coordinated by ISRO, including studies in support of disaster management, climate change assessment and natural resource inventories.

Significance

As ISRO's principal training institute for earth observation, IIRS plays a central role in building human capacity in remote sensing and GIS for India and partner countries. Its graduates and trainees contribute to user departments in agriculture, forestry, urban planning, water resources, disaster management and defence, supporting the operational use of satellite data in governance and development.

References

  • Wikidata entity: Q13637855
  • Indian Space Research Organisation, Department of Space, Government of India.