As a reminder of the anniversary of the Pokhran nuclear test Shakti, National Technology Day is observed every year on 11th of May in India. The Pokhran nuclear test was held on May 11, 1998. The day highlights the important role of science in our daily lives and encourages students to embrace science as a career option.
On National Technology Day, various events are organized in different technical institutes and engineering colleges. Competitions, quizzes, lectures, interactive sessions and presentations of various aspects of science are managed globally.
The day is crucial for engineers, planners, scientists and others who are engaged in nation building and governance.
History:
The first nuclear test Pokhran with a code named as ‘Smiling Buddha’ was carried out in May, 1974. The Pokhran-II tests were a series of five nuclear bomb test explosions conducted by India at the Indian Army’s Pokhran Test Range in May 1998.
Pokran II or Operation Shakti was initiated on 11th of May, 1998 with the detonation of two fission bombs and one fusion bomb (meaning of the word “Shakti” is power in Sanskrit). Two additional fission bombs were detonated on 13th of May, 1998 and the Government of India run by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the then Prime Minister shortly convened a press conference for the declaration of India as a full-fledged nuclear state.
As the reminder of anniversary of the Pokhran II nuclear test Shakti, National Technology Day is observed every year on 11th of May in India.
Significance:
The aim of the celebration is to highlight the achievements of our scientists and engineers in the field of science and technology.
On 11th of May, 1998, India victoriously test fired the nuclear missile – Shakti-I in an operation administered by late president and aerospace engineer Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. After two days, the country victoriously tested two additional nuclear weapons.
Following this India became the sixth nuclear state of the world, which was not the sole thing India attained on that day. Hansa-3, India’s foremost indigenous aircraft was flown in Bengaluru when the nuclear tests were being organized in Rajasthan. Hansa-3 was developed by the National Aerospace Laboratories. It was a two-seater, light general aviation plane which is utilized in the flying institutes for sports, pilot training, aerial photography, surveillance and projects related to the environment.
That is not all. On 11th May, 1998, the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) also accomplished the last test-fire of the Trishul missile, which was then introduced into service by the Indian Air Force and Indian Army. A surface-to-air, quick-reaction, short-range missile, Trishul was a unit of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme of India which has resulted in the formation of Prithvi, Akash and Agni missile systems.
Based on these immense breakthrough accomplishments by the engineers, scientists and technicians of the country, Atal Bihari Vajpayee announced 11th May as the National Technology Day.
Every year the Ministry of Science and Technology celebrates National Technology Day on 11th May. The day is considered as a symbol of pursuit for technological creativity, scientific inquiry and the conversion of that pursuit in the integration of society, industry and science.
