International Desk

India has invited Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other neighboring countries to participate in a 'undivided India' (Akhand Bharat) seminar celebrating 150 years of the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The event, themed around the shared history of the Indian subcontinent, aims to set aside differences and highlight the collective heritage of the region.

The invitations have been extended to Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.

In addition, officials from the Middle East, Central Asia, and Southwest Asia have also been invited to the landmark celebration.

Pakistan has confirmed its participation, and a confirmation from Bangladesh is awaited, reported news agency Press Trust of India.

Should Dhaka confirm, it will be a historic moment.

"We wanted officials from all countries which were part of undivided India at the time of IMD's establishment to be part of the celebrations," a top official from the weather department said.

Several Central government ministries have collaborated to ensure the event's success.

The Finance Ministry will release a limited-edition Rs 150 commemorative coin, while the Home Ministry has approved a special tableau for Republic Day to honour the IMD’s 150-year legacy.

The IMD was officially established on 15 January 1875, though meteorological observatories existed earlier.

The British East India Company set up the first observatories, starting with Calcutta in 1785, Madras in 1796, and Bombay in 1826.

By the early 19th century, observatories were scattered across the subcontinent.

The IMD was formed in 1875 following a devastating cyclone in Calcutta in 1864 and severe monsoon failures in 1866 and 1871, which caused widespread famines in Bengal.

Recognising the need for systematic record-keeping and data analysis, meteorological observation was centralised under the newly formed India Meteorological Department.

Initially headquartered in Calcutta in 1875, the IMD relocated to Shimla in 1905, then to Pune in 1928, and finally to New Delhi in 1944, where it continues to operate today.

From modest beginnings, the IMD has evolved into a premier weather forecasting institution in Asia. Since independence in 1947, IMD has made significant advancements in weather sciences, communication, and scientific innovation.

In the telegram era, the IMD communicated critical weather updates via telegrams. It later revolutionised meteorological communication by launching one of the world’s first message-switching computers for global data sharing and acquiring an early electronic computer for climate research.

The IMD was among the first to collaborate with ISRO after its establishment.

India became a trailblazer among developing nations by launching its geostationary satellite, INSAT, enabling continuous weather monitoring and cyclone alerts.