Aizawl, 18 September 2025: The Ten-Day National Workshop on Mobile Campus-Based Training on Basics of Remote Sensing and GIS concluded with a Valedictory Session at Mizoram University, marking the successful completion of an intensive hands-on training programme organized by the Department of Geography and Resource Management and the Centre for Disaster Management, in collaboration with the North-East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR), Shillong.
The Valedictory Session was graced by Prof. Vanlalchhawna, Finance Officer, MZU, as Chief Guest, and Prof. Vishwambhar Prasad Sati, Dean, SES & NRM, as Guest of Honour. The session opened with a Welcome Address by Prof. Benjamin L. Saitluanga, Head of the Department of Geography & Resource Management and Centre for Disaster Management, who warmly greeted the dignitaries, resource persons, and participants.
Prof. Brototi Biswas presented a detailed report on the workshop, which was attended by 37 research scholars and faculty members from ten departments and centres of Mizoram University, including Geography, Disaster Management, Environmental Science, Forestry, Geology, Information Technology, Sociology, Zoology, and Tourism & Hospitality Management. Participants also represented ten states across India, alongside three international PhD scholars from Sudan.
Resource persons from NECTAR provided hands-on training in GIS and Remote Sensing software such as ArcGIS and ERDAS, as well as in the use of GPS equipment. These skills were applied in practical projects covering land use/land cover (LULC) change, rainfall variability, burn area mapping, NDVI, and NDWI.
In their addresses, Prof. Saitluanga and Prof. Sati emphasized the interdisciplinary applications of GIS and Remote Sensing and encouraged participants to publish their research in high-impact journals. Prof. Vanlalchhawna assured the University’s institutional support for publishing quality research and formally distributed certificates to all participants.
A highlight of the event was the presentation of the Gauri-Girindra Achievement Award for Young Geographers (2025) to outstanding researchers: Surajit Banerjee (National level), Jonmenjoy Barman (Regional level), and Vanlalchhuanga (Local level). Prof. Vanlalchhawna also received a copy of the department’s journal Geographic.
The Valedictory Session concluded with a Vote of Thanks by Dr. Naorem Bobby Singh, Convenor of the Workshop. Participants and experts alike commended the programme for its academic depth, practical training, and successful coordination over the ten days.
The workshop underscored Mizoram University’s commitment to advancing geospatial education and fostering interdisciplinary research in collaboration with leading institutions such as NECTAR.