New Delhi: The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has been awarded the Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar-2025 for its outstanding work in disaster management. The announcement was made Thursday, the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
The annual award recognizes and honors individuals and organizations for their selfless service and contributions to disaster management in India.
The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 51 lakh and a certificate for institutions and Rs. 5 lakh and a certificate for individuals.
This year, 297 nominations were received from institutions and individuals across the country, the government said in a statement. The selection committee praised INCOIS for its crucial role in India’s disaster management strategy, particularly its expertise in providing early alerts for ocean-related hazards, a PIB release stated.
Established in 1999 in Hyderabad, Telangana, INCOIS is recognized by UNESCO as a top Tsunami Service Provider. The center operates the Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC), which provides tsunami alerts within 10 minutes to India and 28 other Indian Ocean countries. INCOIS also provides high-wave, cyclone, and storm surge forecasts, aiding in the protection of coastal areas and maritime operations.
The organization’s contributions during the 2013 Phailin and 2014 Hudhud cyclones were instrumental in timely evacuations and minimizing risks to coastal populations. INCOIS has also developed the Search and Rescue Aided Tool (SARAT) to assist search and rescue efforts at sea.