INSTITUTE OF REMOTE SENSING

The Department of Civil Engineering in Anna University is the oldest institution in the Country. It dates back to May 17, 1794, when the East India Company established a Survey School to train military personnel and surveyors. This has grown to a Civil Engineering School in 1858 and later a Civil Engineering College in 1859. Over the years with the help of dedicated group of people, it expanded to the present level as one of a highly reputed group of Civil Engineering Departments in the country. Presently the Department of Civil Engineering has six well established disciplines - Structures, Water Resources, Soil Mechanics, Environmental Engineering, Urban Engineering and Remote Sensing. Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) technologies are widely used in various fields such as Ubran Planning, Agriculture, Diasater Mangement, Environmental Research and Management, Coastal Management etc., Institute of remote sensing (IRS) plays a role of remote sensing application centre for Tamil Nadu government to create and manage various GIS applications.

Anna University blossomed to its present status from a humble beginning in 1978, as the first ‘SurveySchool’ in the country to produce land surveyors. The Institute of Remote Sensing (IRS) was established in 1982 by Anna University with the funds provided by the Government of Tamil Nadu. IRS is also functioning as State Remote Sensing Application Center for Government of Tamil Nadu. Over the years, the infrastructural facilities have been gradually built-up using development grants mainly from Ministry of Human Resources Development, University Grants Commission, Federal Republic of Germany, Government of India and Department of Agriculture of Government of Tamil Nadu. At present, the Institute is rated as one of the best in the country in the areas of Remote Sensing, Geographical Information System and Large Scale Mapping. The Institute functions as an autonomous unit of Anna University, governed by an executive committee headed by the Vice-Chancellor and the recurring grants for maintenance are provided by the Government of Tamil Nadu. As an externally assisted project, Federal Republic of Germany has provided assistance worth 7 million DM towards equipment, exchange of staff and for conducting a 4-year engineering Under-Graduate program, B.E. (Geoinformatics), The Institute has about 2400 square metres of built-up space for various laboratories equipped with sophisticated instruments and machinery worth Rs.150 million. The Royal Norwegian emphasis as a part of Indo Norwegian Institutional Cooperation Programme has supported the institute to a tune of 1.1 crores for selected research projects and infrastructure development. Also, the IRS is member of UN-GGIM Network.

Department of Civil Engineering, Anna University shall contribute to technological and social development by:

• Providing a firm scientific and technological base in Civil and Geo-Informatics Engineering to achieve self-reliance.

• Providing quality education through innovation in teaching practices at par with global standards.

• Nurturing leadership and entrepreneurship qualities with ethical values.

• Developing and disseminating latest knowledge and technologies in emerging areas of Civil and Geo-Informatics Engineering.

• Sharing intellectual resources and infrastructure facilities through collaborative partnership.

• Ensuring supporting conditions for enhancing the employability skills.

• The State Remote Sensing Application Centre for the State of Tamilnadu was established in 1985 within Anna University, on par with RRSSC Facilities (VAX 11/780)

• Member of United Nations – Global Geospatial Information Management (UN – GGIM) – Academic network & Member of Governing Council

• First State Centre to have full-fledged Photogrammetric mapping facility in the entire country established with the help of Federal Republic of Germany(GTZ)

• Recognized Regional Centre of Geodesy under National Centre for Geodesy Network, Govt of India

• Only Recognized Academic Institution for Local Level CZMP Preparation

• Recipient of the Geospatial Leader Award (2014)

• First State Centre to establish a GIS Digital Data Base at 1:50,000 scale using Remote Sensing and other data sources

• Best University Award (for Contribution to FOSSEE – GIS), Best Geospatial Curriculum Award (National Geospatial Awards 2024)

• Recognized Training centre for Various Depts., of Govt of India and Govt of Tamilnadu

• First Centre in India to start PG in Remote Sensing in the Country.

• First in the entire Asian Sub-Continent to start a Four Year undergraduate B.E. Geoinformatics Course.

• The Centre since 1983 have carried out Operational,Mission Mode,and Projects worth more than Rs.30 Crores.

• Trained more than 2000 officers of State and Central Government departments including NRSC, Survey of India as well as NGOs, Private companies in Geomatics.

• Trusted Technical Partner for RS Consultancy Services (Carried out services worth more than 120 Cr.)

• Funded by Federal Republic of Germany (1990-2000), Royal Norwegian Government (2005-2014) for Faculty training, Infrastructure Development, Joint Research and Student Exchange Programmes.

• Produced more than 60 Ph.Ds in the Geomatics domain.

• MOUs signed with Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, NANSEN Environmental Remote Sensing Centre (NERSC), Norway and Australia for Joint Research, Chubu Uni Japan, Association of Geospatial Industries, Survey of India, Hexamap Solutions, Trimble, Student Exchange Programmes.

• First State Centre to establish a GIS Digital Data Base at 1:50,000 scale using Remote Sensing and other data sources.

• Ground Water Recharge Potential mapping for the entire State of Tamil Nadu were prepared.