The Host: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay
Located at the banks of Powai lake in the city of Bombay, the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra, IIT Bombay was established in the year 1958 and has been widely regarded as an institute of eminence. Its first position pan India and 177th global position in the QS World University Rankings 2022 is an embodiment of its approach towards achieving excellence in various engineering fields. The university based Department of Aerospace Engineering through its engagement towards technological innovation and scientific research has been providing innovative engineering solutions across a number of aerospace applications involving LTA systems, space exploration, commercial fleet, military operations and many more. Besides making available facilities for higher education, training and research in various fields of engineering and technology, the institute contributes to the industrial development and economic growth of the country by preparing a cadre of engineers and scientists, who provide both man power and support R&D work for industries. Visit https://www.iitb.ac.in for more
The Organiser: The LTA Lab, IIT Bombay
The Lighter-Than-Air (LTA) systems laboratory was established in the year 2001 at the Department of Aerospace Engineering under the project named Program on Airship Design & Development (PADD). The laboratory has been involved in carrying out a plethora of R&D projects related to design, analysis, fabrication and testing of LTA systems. As a part of its global outreach, the laboratory has been contributing towards the development of various LTA projects related to public, private as well as academic sectors. The LTA research team lead by Prof. Rajkumar S. Pant under the vision of IIT Bombay is spearheading the LTA technology in India and aims to provide realisable engineering solutions to establish conservative modes of aerial transportation as well as space exploration missions.
The Host Department: Department of Aerospace Engineering
Established in 1966-67 as the Department of Aeronautical Engineering, the department was renamed the Department of Aerospace Engineering in 1992. The department runs strong undergraduate and graduate programs in aerospace engineering, and carries out research in several areas of aeronautical and aerospace sciences. The department maintains close links with the aerospace and defense industry and undertakes sponsored research, consultancy, and continuing education programs in diverse areas. The department aims to provide students with a cordial atmosphere and an opportunity to acquire a multi-disciplinary perspective to engineering problems.
The Host City: Mumbai - A Cultural Tour
Originally a group of 7 islands, the current city was built by the process of land reclamation from the Arabian Sea to form a continous landmass which forms the peninsular district of Mumbai - the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra (Google Maps). The seventh most populous city of the world, the roots of the original 7 islands are traced to as far back as 3rd Century BCE of recorded history which is corroborated by the Buddhist scriptures of the time. Internationally, the earliest mention is found in the works of the Greek geographer Ptolemy, dated 150 CE. Both the names Bombay and Mumbai have been derived from the city deity Mumba Devi, who was also called as Bomba locally at some point in history (recorded by French traveler Louis Rousselet in the 19th Century). Currently, both the names are used in local lingo, while the official name of the city has been Mumbai since 1995.
The country of India is one of the most culturally diverse countries of the world, rivalled only by a select few. It is said that the dialect changes every 25 km, the food changes every 50 km, and the clothing changes every 100 km, and the country's area is 3.2 million square kilometres! Mumbai being the financial capital of the country, people from all over the nation have settled here over the years. Add to it the rich history of the city spanning 2300 years and undergoing Indian, Turkish, Portuguese, and English rules, and you get one of the most culturally vibrant cities of the world. It is said that if you (figuratively) throw a stone here, it will hit a person from a different culture each time. As a result, tourism opportunities abound. There are museums, wildlife sanctuaries, important shrines of multiple religions, monuments of socioeconomic importance, old factories (the iconic Parle factory, named after an area of the city), beaches, ferry rides, exotic flora and fauna, film city, Bombay Stock Exchange (Asia's oldest stock exchange) and the list goes on and on. Just a simple stroll around the town will lead you to an adventure involving buildings of internationally diverse architectural styles!
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