NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY DAY 2021: STORY OF THE DAY

National Technology Day 2021 marks India becoming the sixth nation to develop nuclear weapons after Pokhran nuclear tests in 1998. It is celebrated on May 11 celebrates the achievements and contributions of Indians to science and technology. This day serves as a reminder of India breaking into the elite group of nations with nuclear weapons. On May 11, 1998, India conducted three successful nuclear tests at the Indian Army's Pokhran Test Range in Rajasthan under Operation Shakti. Two more nuclear tests were conducted on May 13. The tests were led by late President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. The National Technology Day was observed for the first time on May 11, 1999.

National Technology Day 2021 history takes us back to 1999, when then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee declared May 11 as a day of significant achievement for the country. The Technology Development Board ever since has been honouring scientists and engineers and their technological innovations that have added to the growth of India on this day.

The nuclear tests conducted on this day in 1998, which gives National Technology Day 2021 its significance, were helmed by aerospace scientist and former President of India APJ Abdul Kalam. The mission was carried out by the Indian Army in collaboration with scientists from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMDER). These tests made India capable of building thermonuclear weapons and fission bombs.

Smiling Buddha was the first nuclear test at Pokhran which was carried out in May, 1974

The second test was Pokhran II which was a series of five tests of nuclear bomb explosions, administered by India at the Pokhran Test Range of Indian Army in May 1998.

Pokhran II or Operation Shakti comprised of five detonations out of which the first one was a fusion bomb while the other four were fission bombs.

Shakti word in Sanskrit means power. On 11 May, 1998 Operation Shakti or Pokhran II was initiated with the detonation of two fission and one fusion bomb.

On 13 May,1998 two additional fission bombs were detonated and the Government that time in India was run by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the then Prime Minister shortly convened a press conference to declare India as a full-fledged nuclear state.

The original name of the operation was ' Operation Shakti-98' and five nuclear devices were classified as Shakti I to Shakti V. And now, the whole operation is known as Pokhran II and Pokhran I was the explosion made in 1974.

Also on National Technology Day, India's first-ever indigenous aircraft, Hansa-1, took flight and the DRDO tested the surface-to-air Trishul missile. It is a short-range missile with a quick reaction time.

Usually, a large-scale event is organised in New Delhi for the National Technology Day celebrations and the President is invited to be the chief guest. He confers awards to scientists and honours them for their achievements. With the coronavirus pandemic raging, it is not clear whether any programme will be held this year.

The National Award for Successful Commercialisation of Indigenous Technology is given to an industrial concern for successfully developing & commercialising an indigenous technology on this day, according to the Technology Development Board.

The National Technology Day 2021 theme is “Science and Technology for a Sustainable Future”. The key objective of this theme is to promote the development of technology in various fields. Also for this, the Department has been generating technology development projects which include materials, devices and processes.

Several programmes are organised in advanced or emerging areas and in traditional sectors to support technological activities. Under this programme, fresh ideas or concepts are also assessed so that they can be used in the product or technology.

It is necessary to create interest and awareness about science and technology to the students. No doubt National technology Day is a great way to encourage the youth of the country to come forward and also is the way to appreciate the scientists, researchers for India's growing technology.