Hyderabad gets India’s first Open Rock Museum

Hyderabad: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Thursday inaugurated India’s first unique 'Rock' museum and later addressed the Hyderabad scientists at the CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI).

Set up with the aim to educate and enlighten the masses about several lesser known facts, the Open Rock Museum displays around 35 different types of rocks from different parts of India with ages ranging from 3.3 billion years to around 55 million years of the Earth’s history. These rocks also represent the deepest part of the earth up to 175 kms of distance from the surface of the earth, read a statement from the Ministry of Earth Science.

Addressing the scientists, Singh said that “Big Earth data” occupies the strategic high ground in the era of knowledge economies and India is fully exploiting this new frontier contributing to the advancement of earth science. He said, geosciences is contributing significantly towards the self-reliance and national priorities in New India.

The Union Minister said science blended with creative innovation brings 'ease of living' for the common man and scientists should adopt out of box thinking to address the problems of the common public. 

The out of box idea was suggested by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who not only has a natural predilection for science but is also forthcoming in supporting and promoting science and technology-based initiatives and projects, Jitendra Singh said.

He added that when country is celebrating 75 years of Independence as “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav”, CSIR is celebrating 80 years of its foundation and it is the right time that all ministries and departments who are pursuing science should explore S&T innovations for making India self-reliant in many of the sectors. 

He further emphasised that India should be a global leader in matters ranging from defense to economics with strong scientific and technological inputs in another 25 years when India celebrates 100 years of Independence.

On the occasion, the Union Minister also released earthquake risk maps of Lucknow and Dehradun cities and handed over the maps to the chairpersons or nominees of UPSDMA and UKSDMA on the occasion. He informed that CSIR-NGRI has made earthquake risk maps for Lucknow and Dehradun cities which are vulnerable for future earthquakes in the Indo-Gangetic plains area.