Dr Nagaraja Ravoori

ravoori.com / nagaraja

Dr Nagaraja Ravoori

Retired Chief General Manager, NRSC. Thirty-four years in geospatial applications for national development — from Landsat-era forest mapping to the Bhuvan geoportal.

Career

My professional career began at NRSA on 12 February 1982, after an unexpected interview letter reached me during a field assignment from IIT Kharagpur. I joined the Land Use Division in the Applications group, fresh from a Postgraduate Diploma in Remote Sensing at Guindy Engineering College, Chennai. Over the next thirty-four years I grew with the organisation — from Scientific Assistant (1982–85) through every grade, retiring as Chief General Manager, Regional Centres in August 2016. I had the rare privilege of serving under all eight of NRSC's first directors — colleagues used to tease me as the “blue-eyed boy of every director.”

Notable work

I was fortunate to contribute to most of NRSC's major national projects for India's geospatial development: National Forest Cover Mapping in the early 1980s, under Prof. Satish Dhawan's vision — the work became the baseline for India's biennial forest policy. The National Wasteland Mission, which I helped conceptualise, design, and execute; its First Cycle Atlas was released by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. National Land Use–Land Cover Mapping — three-season satellite data that became the standard for government policy interventions. And SIS-DP (Space-Based Information Support for Decentralised Planning), with the Bhuvan Panchayat Geoportal — bringing e-governance and geospatial data to grassroots planning across the country.

International

Long association with the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) — Secretary, TC VII Working Group (2000–2004); Co-chair, TC VIII Working Group (2004–2008); and Organising Secretary of the ISPRS TC VII Mid-Term Conference (2002), which showcased NRSC's work to the global community. I represented ISRO at the UN-FAO meet in Florence for the finalisation of the global land-cover legend, standards, and methods. Also served as Vice Chairman of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing.

Family

My greatest fortune was working alongside my wife, Dr T. Anasuya (superannuated as Scientist SF), as a colleague at NRSC for most of my career. She was a guiding force in everything I delivered and a steady support through the long projects; colleagues affectionately called us “Made for Each Other.” As Chairman of the sports committee I helped initiate inter-organisation cricket and badminton tournaments, and we were often recognised together at those events too.

Recognition

  • 2016ISRO Team Award (Team Leader) — SIS-DP implementation
  • 2014ISRO Team Award — Bhuvan Online GIS platform
  • 2012National Geomatics Award — Land Use Planning & Wasteland Development
  • 2012Indian Geospatial Excellence Award — Bhuvan
  • 2011ISRO & ASI Team Awards — Bhuvan implementation
  • 1999Indian National Remote Sensing Award — Indian Society of Remote Sensing
  • 1997–98Best Scientist / Engineer Award — FAPCCI, Andhra Pradesh
  • 1996Indian Geographical Award — Indian Geographical Society, Madras
  • 1987Best Paper Award — 8th Asian Conference on Remote Sensing, Jakarta
  • —Best Paper Award — Commonwealth Geographical Bureau, French Guyana

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The blog

Reflections, memoir excerpts, and writing from a long career in remote sensing.