Today, 12 Dec 2008 is a historic day in the annals of Indian Polar Research. Maitri is finally connected to the World Wide Web since 8 PM in a grand inaugural function. The efforts of the 27th ISEA have finally borne fruit and we are in touch with the happenings all around the world. The days of extreme isolation in Antarctica are finally over and we can look forward to happier and less stressful winterings at Maitri. TV transmission started in August and now the internet. We had lugged bags of cement and iron hardware on our backs during the construction phase of the satellite antenna during the summer part of the 27th ISEA irrespective of rank and professional qualifications, as is the norm in any Antarctic expedition. We had given up hope that the internet facility would start during our expedition. It is common in Antarctica that the team that does all the hard work does not get to enjoy the fruits of their labour. But we were lucky not to meet that fate. with still about a couple of months of our expedition left, we can look forward to enjoying the internet connectivity, and hopefully better blogs with photographs and videos straight from the icy continent.
Keep watching these columns for the hottest pics and maybe videos you would have ever seen.
Congrats, India
ReplyDeleteThe labour put in by the 27th Indian Science Antarctic Expedition has finally borne fruits. We all can take pride in its seeing light of the day. Though it comes quite late in the day when you are preparing for your departure, yet congrats that it has happened while you are there and the 27th ISAE is still in command.
ReplyDeleteI am doing fine, thanks. just busy preparing annual report on Sri Lanka and Maldives, my areas of research and doing some newspaper articles. I am a regular reader of your blogs and i must say that through your blogs, i am able to get some very valuable first-hand information on Antarctica, the area we hardly know about.
ReplyDelete@Anjali
ReplyDeleteYou have an interesting area of research. I am sure you must be finding it gratifying. Thanks for the flattery. I hope it is useful.
@himalayan adventurer
ReplyDeleteDear sir,
It is really gratifying to witness the inauguration of internet while we still have more than a month to go before we leave. It is really a boon for all of us. There is a marked change in the team members between before and after getting net connectivity. Suddenly there is a lot of variety in our discussion. We discuss more about things other than Antarctica and our team members. We are suddenly a part of the global village. Communication is now just a click away. We have been able to get out of the rut.