NT Reporter | Panaji
The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) brought the mysteries of Earth’s frozen regions to nearly 150 young Goans on Wednesday during a curtain raiser event of the India International Science Festival (IISF) 2025.
Under the IISF 2025 theme ‘Vigyan Se Samruddhi: For Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, the event introduced school students from across the state to the scientific focus of the upcoming festival, scheduled to be held from December 6-9 at the Panjab University, Chandigarh.
“The polar regions play a critical role in understanding global climate systems,” NCPOR director Dr Thamban Meloth told students said, comparing Antarctica and the Arctic to explain their significance.
The programme, held at NCPOR’s Headland-Sada facility saw interactive demonstrations and talks on polar sciences.
A key attraction was the ‘Science on a Sphere’ session, where Dr Avinash Kumar demonstrated a data-visualisation platform that will feature in India’s first Polar and Ocean Museum initiative.
Students viewed real-time displays on polar sea ice, marine pollution and micro-plastics, giving them an insight into climate processes affecting the planet.
Dr Rahul Mohan delivered a presentation on ‘Understanding the Frozen Frontiers: Why the Coldest Places Matter the Most’, which introduced students to the importance
of polar research.
A screening of the award-winning documentary Climate Challenge by filmmaker Rakesh Rao further illustrated the conditions scientists face in extreme environments. NCPOR, which operates research stations including Maitri and Bharati in Antarctica, Himadri in the Arctic and Himansh in the Himalayas, said it aims to strengthen Goa’s role in polar and ocean research while encouraging scientific interest among students.
