INCOIS Honoured with Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar 2025 for Excellence in Ocean Hazard Management

INCOIS is a Tsunami Service Provider (TSP) under the UNESCO-IOC Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (IOTWMS).

On February 7, 2025, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) was awarded the prestigious Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar 2025. This annual award, instituted by the Government of India, recognizes outstanding contributions to disaster management. INCOIS was chosen from 297 entries for its exemplary role in developing and maintaining Tsunami and other Ocean Hazard Early Warning Systems.

INCOIS is a Tsunami Service Provider (TSP) under the UNESCO-IOC Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (IOTWMS). The award acknowledges the Centre's pivotal contributions in establishing an end-to-end early warning and mitigation system for tsunamis and related ocean hazards. It also highlights India's strong collaboration with UNESCO-IOC, with INCOIS acting as a UNESCO Category 2 Centre for training in operational oceanography and serving as the Decade Collaborative Centre for the Indian Ocean Region.

Key Innovations and Contributions by INCOIS:

1. Multi-Hazard Early Warning Framework: INCOIS has developed comprehensive systems to predict and mitigate a range of ocean-related hazards, including tsunamis, storm surges, high waves, ocean climate indices, swell surges, search and rescue operations, and oil spills.

2. State-of-the-Art Technologies:

   • Synergistic Ocean Observation Prediction Services (SynOPS): Integrating advanced ocean observation with predictive technologies.
   • Science on Sphere (SOS): A 3D visualization tool that demonstrates the propagation of tsunami waves and swells.
   • High-Performance Computing: Cutting-edge systems for operational ocean forecasting.

3. Smart Access to Marine Users for Data Resources and Advisories (SAMUDRA): A mobile application that provides critical ocean data and advisories to marine users.

4. Common Alerting Protocol (CAP): Standardized communication protocols for efficient dissemination of ocean hazard alerts.

Community and Regional Impact:

INCOIS has successfully implemented the UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready recognition program in 26 communities in Odisha. Future plans include expanding this initiative to over 400 coastal villages across Odisha and Kerala by 2030. The Centre also aims to enhance its services by:

• Introducing Service Level 3, which will provide detailed tsunami inundation extents and run-up information to aid disaster management officials.
• Deploying a cable-based observatory to improve earthquake detection and near-source tsunami identification.
• Expanding early warning systems to include tsunamis generated by non-seismic sources such as volcanic activity.

These advancements are integral to the Ocean Decade Tsunami Programme, coordinated under UNESCO-IOC, and demonstrate INCOIS's leadership in oceanographic research, hazard mitigation, and international collaboration.

The recognition through the Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar 2025 marks a significant milestone for INCOIS, reinforcing its role as a global leader in ocean hazard management and disaster resilience.