The Foundation Day of Ministry of Earth Sciences is celebrated on 27^th July every year.  The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) is mandated to provide the nation with the best possible services in forecasting the monsoons and other weather/climate parameters, ocean state, earthquakes, tsunamis and other phenomena related to earth systems, for the Public Safety and socio-economic benefits. The Ministry also deals with science and technology for exploration and exploitation of ocean resources (living and non-living), and play nodal role for Antarctic/Arctic/Himalayas and Southern Ocean research.

This year too, the Foundation Day is being celebrated on 27^th July 2017 at the Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.  The Union Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsha Vardhan and the Minister of State of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Shri Y. S. Chowdary will be the Chief Guest and Guest of Honour respectively. The foundation day lecture will be given by Dr. Michael McPhaden an eminent scientist from USA.

In order to provide due recognition and platform to major scientific contributions made by eminent scientists/engineers in various fields of Earth System Science and also considering the need to encourage young researchers for coming into the mainstream of Earth System Science, the ESSO has instituted the Life Time Excellence Award and National Earth System Sciences Awards.

This year the Life Time Excellence Award is being awarded to Professor K. Gopalan for his significant contribution in the field of isotope geoscience. The National Awards for Ocean Science & technology, Atmospheric Science & technology and Geoscience & technology will be presented to Prof. P. N. Vinayachandran, Dr. K. Krishnamoorthy and Professsor K. S. Krishna respectively. The Young Researcher Awards will be presented to Dr. Dhanya C. T. and Dr. Vikram Vishal for their outstanding work in Earth Science & Technology. In addition, certificates of merit will also be presented to the scientists from MoES. 

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