Backgrounder

            In recognition of outstanding contributions to the Ocean Science & Technology, the Ministry of Earth Sciences honours Dr. B.L. Deekshatulu with National Award in Ocean Science and Technology for the year 2011.

Dr. B.L.Deekshatulu has distinguished himself through his research and technological contributions in the field of Control systems, Remote Sensing and Digital Image Processing.He obtained B.Sc. (Engg. - Electrical) degree in 1958 from the Banaras Hindu University and M.E. and Ph.D. degrees from the Indian Institute of Science (I.I.Sc.), Bangalore. He was awarded Martin Foster Medal by I.I.Sc., for Best Ph.D. thesis. He joined IISc as Lecturer in 1964, became Professor in 1970, and continued in that position till 1976. Dr. Deekshatulu visited USSR during 1968 as a Government of India delegate for setting up School of Automation at I.I.Sc., Bangalore. Dr. Deekshatulu worked as Visiting Scientist at the IBM Watson Research Centre, York Town Heights, New York, and at the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan during 1971-72 on Digital Image Processing and Remote Sensing. He designed and fabricated for the first time in India, Grey scale and Color Drum Scanners for Computer Picture processing, which has subsequently won him and his group a NRDC Award.

            Dr. Deekshatulu joined the National Remote Sensing Agency Hyderabad as Head, Technical Division in April 1976 and became Director in January 1982, and retired as “Distinguished Scientist (Secretary grade) & Director NRSA” in October 1996. He has been responsible for the upbringing of the National Remote Sensing Agency in all its facets, and for executing National and State level projects in many disciplines of Remote Sensing applications.

Dr.B.L.Deekshatulu was instrumental in the formation of Marine Satellite Information Service (MARSIS) program,in 1992, of Department of Ocean Development(presently Ministry of Earth Sciences) and Department of Space. Under his able leadership as Chairman Steering Committee of the Program (with Directors and Sr.Scientists from Ocean and Atmospheric Centres), developed methodology for retrieval of Sea Surface Temperature from NOAA-AVHRR data, this is a fundamental Oceanography parameter. These with other ocean parameters such as chlorophyll, ocean color, etc. have lead to an operational ocean remote sensing programme in the country executed at NRSA. SAC supported the required R& D, NIO with sea truth data, IITM and CMMACS with further analysis and modelling.

             This programme was also instrumental to assimilate the SST into operational weather forecasting model at NCMRWF. One of the  most important societal activity of this program is to generate Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ) advisories to fishermen in the country (demonstrated the benefits of high technology Ocean remote Sensing to common man, i.e. fishermen). This was given high priority by Government of India as a social benefit program. After successful completion of 1st phase of the program, an international Workshop on "Application of Satellite Remote Sensing for Identifying and Forecasting Potential Fishing Zones in Developing Countries" was organized under his guidance at Hyderabad during 7-11 December 1993 and he spear headed this PFZ programme to the neighbouring countries. The MARSIS program was continued in its 2nd phase for further improvement under the leadership of Prof. Deekshatulu, and with support from SAC mainly focusing on ocean microwave remote sensing programme for development of methodologies for retrieval of wave directional spectrum and utilization of wave spectral energy to the off-shore industry. After realizing benefits of the program, DOD institutionalized the program in 1997 and established the Centre for Indian National Centre for Ocean Services (INCOIS). As member (Eminent Scientist) of INCOIS Governing Council, contributed in the initial establishment and formulated various scientific programs like Sea State Forecasting, Indian Ocean Modelling, Implementation of Indian Argo program etc., of the Centre.

            As a member Governing council of the India Meteorology Department, he emphasized the need for modernization of observation systems and contributed its implementation. He contributed in Indian weather forecasting modeling studies as member advisory council of IITM and NCMWRF. As steering committee Chairmen of DOD program, he established National Ocean Information System (NOIS) with partnership from various ocean & atmospheric centers in the country. Under his stewardship, for the first time ocean in-situ data was obtained and exchanged across the national oceanographic and atmospheric centers. He emphasized the need of such system in the studies of ocean-atmosphere coupled models and for operational ocean-atmospheric programme. As Chairman, Working Group-III, ISRO Geosphere Biosphere Program, guided actively the projects under Land-Ocean-Atmosphere interaction.

            With his background in both Remote Sensing applications and data processing technologies, he was bestowed with Chairman of Indian Geo-sphere Biosphere Programme (IGBP) during 1994-1997. Under his able guidance ocean-atmospheric community was benefited in developing the in-situ observational programme, time series measurements of coastal bio-geochemical measurements, and in modelling. Results of these measurements and blending with in-situ and satellite data analysis were of immersive benefit to IGBP community. The entire programme involved several centres, conducting numerous workshops and discussion meetings. He has over 150 research publications to his credit. He has guided 18 Ph.D. Scholars and over 80 MTech. student dissertations. He visited 27 countries in the world. His current interests are Data Analysis, Digital Image Processing, Machine Learning and Neural Networks. He is Fellow of 15 Scientific and Engineering Academies: Also Fellow IEEE (USA), Fellow Third World Academy Of Sciences (Italy), Distinguished Fellow IETE and Distinguished Fellow of Astronautical Society of India. He is a recipient of many awards such as the Bharat Ratna Sir M.Visveswaraya Award for “Outstanding Engineer” in 1984, NRDC Invention Awards in Jan. 1986 and in Aug. 1993, Dr. Biren Roy Space Science Award in 1988, “Padamsri” medal in Jan. 1991 by President of India, for significant contributions to Engineering Technology, for Science and Technology for 1995. Received “Sivananda Eminent Citizen Award” from Vice President of India in Dec. 1998, Boon Indrambarya GOLD MEDAL by Thailand Remote Sensing and GIS Assoc. in Nov. 1999 in Hong Kong for contributions to Remote Sensing, 2002 Aryabhatta Award by Astronautical Society of India for life time contributions to Remote Sensing, Distinguished Alumni Award from IISc, Bangalore in 2006, “Life time Contribution Award” from ACRS, Beijing in Oct 2009, “ASTHANA VIDWAN” award from Datta Peetham,Mysore in May 2010 and the CHEN Shupeng award for 2011. He was Chairman, National Committee on International Geosphere, Biosphere Programme (IGBP) during 1994-97, and Chairman of Remote Sensing Applications Missions India 1987-96. Dr. Deekshatulu was a UN / FAO Consultant in Beijing during November, 1981. He was the Government representative in the UN/ESCAP/RSSP Directors’ meetings and Inter Governmental Consultative Committee meetings from 1985-95. He was a UN/ESCAP Senior Consultant during September-November, 1996. He was Director of Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific (CSSTE-AP), Affiliated to the United Nations, IIRS Campus, Dehra Dun, India from November 1995 to April 2002.

            Dr. Deekshatulu was a Visiting Professor in the Dept. of Comp. & Infn. Sci, Univ. of Hyderabad, pursuing research and teaching in Image Processing, Machine Learning and Neural Networks. He is a great organization builder and a researcher. Currently, he is 1) the Chairman, Board of Governors, NIT Warangal, A.P. 2) Visiting Professor in JNTUKakinada. and 3) Distinguished Fellow, IDRBT Hyderabad, an Institution under RBI(Govt. of India).

KP