National Centre of Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) ( UPSC Prelims)

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National Centre of Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR)

India's premier R&D institution is responsible for the nation's research activities in the polar and Southern Ocean realms. Established in 1998, it operates as an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Recently, it celebrated its 25th anniversary. The governing body consists of 13 members representing a diverse range of leaders in Polar and Ocean Sciences, with the Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences serving as the ex-officio chairman.
 Key Roles of NCPOR include:
      ○ Maintaining India's research stations in Antarctica (Maitri and Bharati), the Arctic (Himadri), and the Himalayas (Himansh).
      ○ Leading the Deep Ocean Mission, a flagship initiative aimed at exploring deep-sea mineral resources and hydrothermal systems in the Indian Ocean.
      ○ Supporting the implementation of India's Arctic Policy (2022) and the Indian Antarctica Act (2022).
 Recently, NCPOR launched unique facilities:
  ● Polar Bhavan: Features laboratories for polar and ocean research and will host India's first Polar and Ocean Museum.  
  ● Sagar Bhavan: Contains two -30°C ice core laboratories and +4°C storage units for preserving sediment and biological samples.