India has been a land of innovations and inventions since ancient times. Many scholars like Acharya Aryabhatta, Acharya Bhaskara, Dr. Ramanujan and many more have made significant contributions in the field of science and technology. Our very own Space Research Organization ISRO is respected worldwide for innovations in space sciences. We launched a mission to Mars at a lesser budget than a Hollywood movie. Even in other areas we are creating unparalleled records, India recently commissioned a LIGO project. When Europe and America were laying foundations of their technological advancements in the 17th, 18th and early 19th century, we were being plundered by Islamic and later British marauders. India lost too much precious time, but we have arrived. With a thriving software industry at home and PM Modi’s push towards ‘Make in India’, is making sure that we become a technological superpower along with a mighty economic force.
India has again proven to be one of the leading countries in innovation and invention in the field of science and technology by unveiling India ’s fastest and the world’s 4th fastest supercomputer “ Pratyush ”. It is an array of computers that can deliver a peak power of 6.8 petaflops. One petaflop is the reflection of the computing capacity of a system, it is a measure of a computer’s processing speed. It was unveiled at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune. The institute stated that Pratyush is meant for weather and climate research and follows machines in Japan, USA and UK. With Pratyush, India makes a huge jump in the Top500 list, a renowned international list of supercomputers. India was earlier somewhere in the 300s, now we have made it to the top 40.
Pratyush is India’s first multi-petaflops supercomputer which will improve weather forecasts to a great extent. Moreover, the monsoon prediction is set to become more accurate which will have an enormous positive effect on the farmers.
Minister for Earth Sciences, Govt. Of India, Dr. Harshvardhan said, “With Pratyush High Performance Computing (HPC) system, monsoon predictions and early predictions of natural disasters like cyclone, tsunami and earthquake would now become more accurate. For this system, the government has invested Rs.450 crore as accurate climate and weather predictions have become the need of the hour.” He also reinstated the central government’s efforts of sending text messages of the weather forecast to around 24 million farmers which has had a positive impact of Rs. 50,000 crore in the GDP.
Pratyush will also help the earth scientists to have a broader and an accurate approach to their research by using more detailed components of the Earth which will benefit the country in various ways. The government had sanctioned Rs. 450 crores for this multi-petaflop machine. This new system would provide a boost to technology and it would be possible to map regions in India at a resolution of 3 km and the globe at 12 km.
India’s advancements in the field of science and technology is a testimonial of the hardworking scientists who have defied all odds to make this enormous technological feat possible. Also, it shows the government and more importantly Prime Minister Modi’s interest in solving the problems of common man using science and technology. It is the Hon’ble Prime Minister who frequently keeps on motivating and appreciating the scientists who work tirelessly for innovation through his public addressing as well as his ‘Mann ki Baat’ program. He also urges the youth to participate more and more in developing science and technology for the nation and specifically in the nation. The nation is proud of all the scientists who have worked day and night for this achievement.
Sources:-
http://nimbuzz.com/us/article/technology/pratyushindia-s-fastestsupercomputer-295
Vande Mataram!