NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy successfully hosted the third edition of its Meteorological and Oceanological Symposium—Meghayan-25, at Nausena Bhawan, New Delhi.
The event commemorated World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Day 2025, and was virtually inaugurated by Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff.
Themed “Closing the Early Warning Gap Together”, the symposium brought together a distinguished gathering of experts and stakeholders from top institutions including the India Meteorological Department (IMD), IITM, INCOIS, NIOT, ISRO’s SAC Ahmedabad, IIT Madras, the Indian Air Force, and the National Maritime Foundation (NMF).
Technical Sessions & Discussions
The symposium featured two technical sessions:
- Session I, moderated by Rear Admiral G Rambabu, focused on the latest developments in Marine Meteorology and Oceanology.
- Session II, led by Commodore SMU Athar, explored Statistical Approaches in Weather Forecasting.
Both sessions saw engaging Q&As, with high audience participation. A panel discussion on maritime security and early warning systems, moderated by Vice Admiral Pradeep Chauhan (Retd), explored collaborative strategies for preparedness at sea.
Senior Naval Leadership in Attendance
The final session was presided over by Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Vice Chief of the Naval Staff. Other dignitaries included:
- Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff
- Vice Admiral Lochan Singh Pathania, Chief Hydrographer to the Government of India
- Dr Nilesh Desai, Director, SAC Ahmedabad (Guest of Honour)
- Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, DG IMD and Honorary Vice President, WMO (Keynote Address)
Key Launches and Highlights
- MOSDAC-IN web services, a new platform for satellite-derived weather products for the Navy, was launched by Dr Nilesh Desai. The project is a joint effort between DNOM and SAC.
- The Navy’s professional journal “Sagarmanthan” was relaunched after nearly a decade, marking its 10th edition.
A special moment was the felicitation of Cmde PI Oommen (Retd), the 94-year-old pioneer of the Navy’s Meteorological specialisation and the first Principal Director of Naval Oceanology and Meteorology. He addressed the gathering and shared memories from his illustrious career.
Meghayan-25 reinforced the Navy’s commitment to enhancing meteorological capabilities and fostering collaboration for maritime safety in an era of evolving climate challenges.
