Context:

=> Since 1999, May 11 is celebrated as National Technology Day to mark India’s technological advancements.

=> The theme of Year 2022 is: “Integrated Approach in Science and Technology for a Sustainable Future”.

Significance of the day:

=> On May 11, 1998, India detonated three nuclear bombs in the Indian Army’s Pokhran Test Range.

=> Dr APJ Abdul Kalam lead the Indian team of scientists to successfully test-fire the Shakti-1 nuclear missile at Rajasthan’s Pokhran test range.

=> Two days later, the country successfully tested two more nuclear weapons as a part of the same Pokhran-II/Operation Shakti initiative.

=> After these tests Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee declared India a nuclear state, making it the sixth country to join the ‘nuclear club’ of nations.

=> Hansa 3, India’s first indigenous aircraft was first tested on the same day in 1998 in Bangalore.

=> Successful test firing of Trishul, a short range missile made in India, was also done on the same day.

Technology Development Board India:

=> On the occasion of National Technology day, TDB hosts scientific-technology based webinars and felicitate individuals for excellent works in the field of Science and Technology every year.

• Established in 1996, TDB is a statutory body that works under the Department of Science and Technology, GOI.
• It also provides financial assistance for concerns of Indian industries and other agencies for commercialization of indigenized technologies or adoption of imported technologies for wider domestic applications.

Note:

• India is currently among nine countries in the world that have a publicly known nuclear weapons.
• In 1974, India conducted its first nuclear test, codenamed “Smiling Buddha”, at Pokhran in Rajasthan.

By: ASRAF UDDIN AHMED