As part of the 33rd Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica (XXXIII-ISEA) under the aegis of National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR), an autonomous R & D Institution under the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Pritimoy Patro, a young scientist from Rayagada has landed up in Bharati, the Indian station at Antarctica.
The Bharati station, located at the larsmann Hills, East Antarctica, is the second operational Indian base in Antarctica. Since its commissioning in March 2012, the station has been manned round the year by a mixed complement of scientists and logistics personnel. life support systems of the station are managed by contract engineers of NCAOR whereas the satellite ground station is managed by the NRSC personnel. It has a capacity to house 46 people, a laboratory and phone, fax and internet access though dedicated satellite link. Internet connectivity and e-mail facility is available.
Patro will have opportunity for working also in the southern ocean region during the voyage between Cape Town and Antarctica. He will help NACOR which is responsible for the planning, coordination and implementation of India’s scientific research endeavours in the Arctic realm.
Patro was accompanied by physicists, meteorologists, seismologists, oceanographers, geologists and microbiologists from some of India’s best scientific institutions. He is the youngest son of poet and columnist Basudeb Patro and laureate late Shantilata Patro.