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Context

The Union Earth Sciences Minister recently opened "Sagar Bhavan" and "Polar Bhavan" at the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) in Goa.

What is NCPOR?

The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) is an Indian research and development agency based in Vasco da Gama, Goa. It is an autonomous entity within the Department of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, that manages the Indian Antarctic Programme and operates the Indian government's Antarctic research stations, Bharati and Maitri.

Key Functions of NCPOR:

• Polar Research Leadership: Leads India's scientific missions to Antarctica (Maitri, Bharati), the Arctic (Himadri), and the Southern Ocean.
• Ocean Exploration: Oversees deep-sea drilling, geoscientific surveys of the Exclusive Economic Zone, and gas hydrate and metal sulphide exploration.
• Scientific Logistics: Manages yearly Indian arctic Expeditions, arctic infrastructure, and research vessels such as the ORV Sagar Kanya.
• Data Management and Outreach: Hosts India's Antarctic Data Centre, performs climate modeling, and is establishing the first Polar and Ocean Museum.
• Global Collaboration: Contributes to international polar science networks, Arctic policy discussions, and climate monitoring initiatives.

Infrastructure milestones:

• Polar Bhavan: The largest facility (11,378 square meters) comprises climate visualization tools (Science on Sphere), labs, and accommodations.
• Sagar Bhavan provides ultra-low temperature labs, Class 1000 clean rooms, and ice core preservation facilities for polar sample research.

Source: PIB