The National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) organised a commemorative event on 24 April 2026 in memory of Dr. K. Kasturirangan, marking one year since his passing on 25 April 2025. The programme brought together eminent personalities from the fields of science, education, industry, and public policy as well as his family to pay tribute to the former Director of NIAS and noted science administrator.

In his welcome address, Director, NIAS, Dr. Shailesh Nayak highlighted Dr. Kasturirangan’s contributions to interdisciplinary research and institution building, and his role in shaping NIAS as a centre for dialogue across science, humanities, and policy.

A recorded message from Chairman, NIAS Council, Shri S. Ramadorai was played on the occasion, recalling Dr. Kasturirangan’s contributions to national development, building institutions and his lasting impact on India’s science and technology landscape.

The programme also highlighted Dr. Kasturirangan’s role in promoting the application of space-based technologies to cultural heritage.

At NIAS, this vision evolved into collaborative efforts involving scientists, historians, and archaeologists. Prof. Sharada Srinivasan, Dr. R. R. Navalgund and Prof M.S.Krishnamurthy shared their experiences and insights on the development of geospatial heritage research in India and Dr. Kasturirangan’s role in guiding these initiatives.

Reflections were also shared by Dr. P. S. Goel, Prof. S. Chandrashekhar, Smt. Geetha Shankar, Shri M. R. Jaishankar, Shri Rajendra Pawar, and Prof. M. K. Sridhar, who spoke about their association with Dr. Kasturirangan.

On the occasion, the KASTURI portal (Knowledgebase of Archaeology and Heritage using Spatial Technologies: a Unified Resource for India) was inaugurated by Chairman, ISRO and Secretary, Department of Space, Dr. V. Narayanan, who was the Chief Guest. He also delivered the Presidential Address.

KASTURI is a national-level digital geospatial platform designed to document and present India’s cultural heritage in its broader landscape context. Moving beyond individual monuments, the portal integrates information on temples, forts, settlements, water systems, historic routes, and natural features, many of which lie outside officially protected boundaries.

The portal brings together data from satellite imagery, geographic information systems (GIS), historical maps, archival sources, and field-based documentation into a unified spatial framework. By organising heritage information as map-based layers, it enables users to explore cultural landscapes, examine features, and understand their historical and environmental context. The salient features of the portal was presented by Prof. M. B. Rajani, who is leading the team responsible for developing its content.

KASTURI is intended to support researchers, heritage authorities, planners, and the wider public by providing an accessible knowledgebase for informed decision-making, conservation planning, and interdisciplinary research. It also aims to address gaps in documentation by identifying and mapping heritage features that remain unrecognised or vulnerable to urbanisation and environmental change.

The portal builds on geospatial heritage research carried out at NIAS, including an ISRO-supported pilot project covering 25 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India. It is now being expanded in its first phase over the next two years to cover over 100 archaeological and heritage landscapes across the country, with support from the Murty Trust. In this phase, NIAS has collaborated with Ashoka University and IIT Gandhinagar. The Institute also aims to scale the initiative further beyond 100 sites through additional funding and institutional collaborations. The platform is being hosted in partnership with the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) on the Bhuvan platform, ensuring national-level access and long-term sustainability.

The programme concluded with a poster presentation by researchers, PhD scholars, and postdoctoral fellows contributing to the development of the KASTURI portal, reflecting its evolving nature as a living knowledge resource.

 

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