by Linson Miranda and Jeffi Ann Thomas
MUMBAI, OCT 5, 2017: IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society(GRSS), in collaboration with Don Bosco Institute of Technology (DBIT), Kurla 
conducted a two-day workshop entitled 'Remote sensing and GIS in rural agricultural system' at DBIT, aimed at educating the participants about the different applications of GIS and Remote sensing in the agricultural sector on September 22 and 23.
Students and faculty from colleges across Maharashtra, industrialists, water and agricultural sector, research scholars from IIT-Bombay participated in the event.
The event began with Dr Amiya Kumar Tripathy, Dean R&D, DBIT, the coordinator and in-charge of the event felicitating and welcoming the dignitaries, Meeta Rajivlochan, IAS officer of the Maharashtra cadre, the Principal Secretary and Director, Rashtriya Ucchatar Shiksha Abhiyaan, Department of Higher and Technical Education in the Government; Father Colbert Da'Silva, Director, DBCL, D Avik Bhattacharya, a senior member, IEEE GRSS-Mumbai Chapter and Dr Prasanna Nambiar, Principal, DBIT. This was followed by a prayer and lighting of the lamp.
Father Da'Silva addressed the participants and stressed on the need for educating the masses for life and livelihood and explained how DBIT, in collaboration with IEEE, wishes to make such data available to the masses. Dr Nambiar, in her address, spoke about how GIS as a technology can be used to mitigate problems and encouraged students to take active interest in using such technologies to solve social problems.
Anthony Lobo, Section Chair, IEEE-Mumbai Chapter, who could not be a part of the event, sent a message which was read by Dr Tripathy, in which he thanked the participants and the speakers for their presence and spoke about the importance of such workshops. Dr Avik Bhattacharya informed participants of the history of IEEE GRSS and the various applications of remote sensing in GIS.
Meeta Rajivlochan gave the keynote address in which she spoke about the importance of GIS technology in the agricultural sector. She stressed on the importance of knowledge and productivity and the integration of geoinformatics and research in current education programmes which would help India transition into a knowledge economy. She also thanked DBIT for hosting the event.
Various topics like Principles of Remote Sensing, GRSS activities, Research issues in Geospatial Analysis, Smart Agriculture, GIS in climate resilient agriculture, Transit in the times of GTS, the Urban and Rural divide were covered by the research scholars.
The two-day event ended with a promise to have hands-on workshops on various topics at the earliest convenient time. The session also introduced various research and career options related to the field, to the students present there. It provided an opportunity for IT, computer and electronics engineering faculties to join hands with Remote Sensing and GIS for solving real world problems.