Southern India’s first Doppler weather radar, which can provide advance information about storms, cyclones, and other severe weather conditions, was inaugurated at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram.

This is India’s second C-Band Polarimetric Doppler Weather Radar (C-DWR) as the first was unveiled by PM Narendra Modi in Cherrapunji, Meghalaya, in May 2015.

• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman A S Kiran Kumar inaugurated the C Band Polarimetric Doppler Weather Radar, first of its kind to be set up in southern states.
  

• The work was on for two more Doppler radars to be set up in Bhuj in Gujarat and Gopalpur, .
  

• Doppler weather radar is used for forecasting storms, cyclones and other severe weather conditions so that necessary preventative steps can be initiated to alleviate the impact of natural disasters on life and property of millions of people.

• The radar has been developed as a national effort to meet the country’s weather forecast requirements and establish a network to seamlessly cover the regions of interest, thereby ensuring effective weather forecast.