Dear Friends, Esteemed Members and Colleagues of the Geospatial Community, On behalf of the Executive Council of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing (ISRS) (2026-2028), I extend a warm welcome to all of you to our website. It is a matter of immense privilege and honor for me to address you all as the President of the ISRS. At the outset, I express my heartfelt gratitude to the former Presidents, the Executive Council, and all those members who have contributed to making the ISRS a leading scientific society.
For the past five decades, ISRS (erstwhile Indian Society of Photo-interpretation, founded in 1969) has remained at the forefront of the field of geospatial science, serving as a bridge between cutting-edge remote sensing technology and the needs of society at the grassroots level. As we move forward, the role of remote sensing has become more critical than ever before. The objective of our research must consistently be to solve real-world problems. From climate change adaptation and disaster management to precision agriculture and smart urban governance, the maps and models we create must serve to empower decision-makers at the grassroots level.
Today, we are witnessing a transformative shift. In light of the National Geospatial Policy and the opening of the space sector to private enterprises, the ISRS must act as a bridge between ISRO, the academic world, and the newly empowered private space sector, in order to foster a collaborative ecosystem for geospatial startups. We need to rapidly integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data Analytics with our traditional remote sensing methodologies. This is absolutely essential to unlock the true potential of the vast volumes of Earth observation data received on a daily basis.
Our flagship publication, the 'Journal of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing' (JISRS), continues to be the pride of our academic endeavors. Its Impact Factor has been consistently on the rise. As its readership and global influence continue to grow, I urge our members and the wider scientific community to contribute their high-quality and groundbreaking research work to this journal.
The ISRS possesses an excellent network of local chapters spread across the entire country. I urge all chapters to actively organize seminars, outreach programs, and student activities at the local level to ensure the democratization of geospatial knowledge down to the grassroots. The future of the ISRS lies in the hands of its student members and young professionals. We are fully committed to expanding our capacity-building initiatives, workshops, and mentorship programs to train the geospatial leaders of tomorrow.
By forging strong ties with international sister societies, we will continue to work towards enhancing the visibility and recognition of Indian geospatial science on the global stage. It gives me immense pleasure to share with you that the ISRS in collaboration with the Indian Society of Geomatics (ISG) and the Asian Association on Remote Sensing (AARS) will organise the 47th Asian Conference on Remote Sensing' (ACRS 2026) in New Delhi from October 12 to 16, 2026. The theme of this conference is "Remote Sensing for a Future Earth: Innovation, Inclusion, and Impact." I make a special appeal to the Indian geospatial community to ensure their maximum participation in this prestigious international conference.
I urge academics, researchers, geospatial professionals, and the student community to actively participate in our programs and activities. I also encourage you to visit our website regularly to stay updated on our upcoming initiatives.