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Jointly Hosted by ASET Colloquium & Young Astronomers' Meet 2025
Abstract:
The Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) has been pursuing astronomical instrumentation activities since its inception. The beginning of space astronomy in India took place at TIFR in 1966, with the development of a small balloon borne X-ray astronomy payload. In the early phase of 1966-75, a variety of instruments were developed and launched on balloons, rockets and the early satellites. AstroSat, first Indian multi-wavelength satellite operating as a space Observatory, will be completing 10 years of successful in-orbit operation in September 2025. Infrared Astronomy at TIFR commenced in the seventies with far-infrared (FIR) programme using balloons and also ground-based near-infrared observational programmes using existing Indian telescopes. The balloon programme for FIR astronomy continued with 100-cm balloon-borne telescope in mid-eighties and is still in existence. In the last three decades our main emphasis has been on near-infrared astronomy observations using 1 to 4-meter class Indian telescopes with focal plane instrumentation either developed in-house or designed and fabricated in collaboration with other labs. In this talk, I will summarize the contribution of the astronomy group of TIFR to instrumental programmes within the country.
About Speaker:
Prof. Devendra K. Ojha is a senior professor at the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics (DAA), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai. He received his PhD degree from Strasbourg University, France in 1994 in Astronomy & Astrophysics. He joined TIFR, Mumbai in 1997, after postdoctoral positions at IUCAA, Pune and IAP, Paris, France. He is currently the Chairperson of TIFR Balloon Facility Committee and was also the Chairperson of the DAA at TIFR from 2013 to 2019. He is also the first Dean, Finance (TIFR). Prof. Ojha’s research area & scientific interests include interstellar medium, multiwavelength study of Galactic star-forming regions, Galactic structure and development of astronomical instrumentation for ground based telescopes and balloon & space-borne payloads for space-based infrared astronomy. These include the operation of 100 cm TIFR balloon-borne far-infrared telescope and development of near-infrared spectrometer and imaging cameras for ground-based Indian telescopes. He is Fellow of Indian Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Sciences, India. He has published about 190 research articles. He is also currently serving as the President of the Astronomical Society of India.
ASET & Young Astronomers' Meet (YAM) - 2025