Educational visit at Geodetic and Research Branch Survey of India Museum, Dehradun

An educational trip to Survey of India Museum at Geodetic and Research Branch was

organised for the students of class 10th on 09.07.24 and 10.07.24 by Geography Department.

There, we got the opportunity to meet Mrs Payal Arya who is first and only lady surveyor

from Survey of India to reach Antarctica in the year 2018. The students were privileged to

see the

Museum established in 1954. It is dedicated to showcasing the history and evolution of

Surveying in India. The main attractions of museum is the first map of Hindustan by Major

James Rennell in 1978 (first surveyor General of India) , instrument used by surveyors called

Theodolite and also various types of amazing transit telescopes used for astronomical

observation and studies. A fifth copy of the Constitution of India, one of the five copies

published in 1949 along with same postage stamps printed during that time and a pendulum

of old time also gained the attention of our students . They were thrilled to see the 3D

model of the Mount Everest and a wooden fan. Mrs. Arya explained the working of GPS

(Global positioning system). Antique compasses and mechanical calculators have also taken

too much attention of our students. We were told that Survey of India not only does the

work of map making but also various jobs like, Working of GPS, levelling of the land

surface required for making tracks, Metro tracks and Dam, checking tiltness and position of

measurements, collecting tidal data through a well distributed network of tidal observatories

along Indian coastlines and Islands.

Students also enjoyed to observe the modern water level monitoring station called tidal

guage in Marine Geodesy wing.

The last cell was the Antarctic cell where the facts about the frozen desert was revealed to us

and we came to know about two Indian Research Centres named Bharti and Maitri.

Overall, our visit was an enriching and enlightening experience that broadened the

knowledge of our students , they were grateful for this opportunity and look forward to future

educational trips.