A major initiative to provide satellite- based tele-education facilities to engineering colleges in the country was launched today by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in association with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay.

EDUSAT network provides satellite-based tele-education facilities to students and teachers of the Engineering Colleges across the country.

The teaching-end was set up at IIT, Bombay by ISRO to provide satellite bandwidth and to install ground equipment at various Institutes across the country, while the institute would arrange to deliver full-fledged courses on various Engineering topics through its network, according to an ISRO release here.

IIT-B, had scheduled 13 full-fledged courses on the channel, as per a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the ISRO.

About 50 colleges, including IITs, National Institute of Technology, VJTI, Mumbai, Samrat Ashok Technological Institute, Vidisha, Sona College of Engineering and Technology, Salem and Delhi College of Engineering, would receive the programs from January 2.

In the EDUSAT Network, launched on September 20,2004, ISRO had set up more than 45 broadcast and interactive networks, covering 20 States, including North-East and Islands of the country.

ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair, Scientific Secretary A Bhaskaranarayana, Viveswaraya Technological University (VTU) Vice Chancellor H P Kincha and senior officials of the Department of Space participated in the inaugural function held simultaneously at ISRO Headquarters, Bangalore and IIT, Bombay.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Senior Executive F C Kohli, IIT, Bombay Director Ashok Mishra, Government of Gujarat Principal Secretary P Panneerval and Government of Maharashtra Additional Chief Secretary Joyce Sankaran were, among others, present on the occasion in Mumbai.

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