INCOIS Receives Special Achievement Award

03 August 2009, 10:20am

New Delhi, July 2009: The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) received a Special Achievement in GIS (SAG) Award at the 2009 ESRI International User Conference (ESRI UC) in San Diego, California. The organization received this honor for its vision, leadership, and innovative use of ESRI's geographic information system (GIS) technology. INCOIS was selected from more than 300,000 organizations worldwide and recognized during SAG awards ceremony at ESRI International User Conference for making extraordinary contributions to our global society.

INCOIS provides a number of oceanographic services to the Indian Ocean region. The organization directly impacts the lives of millions who are dependent on the coastal areas and are also directly vulnerable to the effects of natural disasters. For example, the organization’s Tsunami Warning Centre notifies local residents that a tsunami may be approaching. GIS tools are also used to generate and analyze spatial data. The INCOIS Potential Fishing Zone Advisories identify areas where fish activity is high. These advisories have proven to be helpful in reducing fisherman search time by 60 to 70 percent, thereby reducing fuel consumption and valuable human effort. Prior to implementing a GIS in 2001, most of the organization’s spatial information was disseminated in a textual form. Now, the organization is able to provide services through maps accessible from a GIS-enabled Web site. Users can perform analysis and customize personal maps. Furthermore, location-based services are provided by sending alerts on mobile phones.

"Our world is being challenged by rapid change," says Jack Dangermond, ESRI president. "GIS technology is increasingly being deployed as a way to understand the issues facing our society. At ESRI, we are always extremely impressed with the work of our users and want to recognize their efforts with our Special Achievement in GIS Award. Their work is a great example of using GIS to improve our world."

Congratulating INCOIS on receiving the SAG award, Dr. Mukund Rao President and Chief Operating Officer, ESRI India said, "It is an honor for GIS users in India that INCOIS has been chosen for this coveted award. We are proud to be associated with this state-of-art information system built using ESRI technology to provide early warnings for tsunami and coastal hazard mitigation”

Other Organizations honored in the past for Special Achievement Award in GIS include - National Atlas and Thematic Mapping Organization, Space Applications Centre, Geological Survey of India, National Informatics Centre, Survey of India, TWAD Board, Reliance Infocomm and Bangalore Water and Sewerage Services Board

INCOIS

Geo: International