‘Nakshatra Sabha’ India’s First Astro Tourism Campaign inaugurated

Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board in association with  Starscapes, India's leading Astro tourism company, inaugurated ‘Nakshatra Sabha’, India’s first- ever annual campaign dedicated exclusively to promoting Astro Tourism.  The inaugural event was held at George Everest, Mussoorie, in the presence of Dr. Dipankar Bannerjee, Director, ARIES (Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences), Dr. Prabhas Pandey, Professor, Delhi University, Aakash Sinha, Assistant Professor of Practice, School of Engineering, Shiv Nadar University, Dr. T V Venkateswaran from Vigyan Prasar, and  Ramashish Ray, Founder, Starscapes. The choice of George Everest Peak as the location for the event carries significant historical importance. Named after the renowned British surveyor Sir George Everest, the peak was central  to the trigonometric survey of India, which was crucial for the accurate mapping of the country.  Additionally, Nain Singh Rawat collaborated extensively with Sir George Everest in surveying  the Himalayan region. Recently, Uttarakhand Tourism inaugurated the country's first  cartography museum, the George Everest Cartography Museum, at Park Estate, the former  residence of Sir George Everes.Nakshatra Sabha offers a holistic Astro Tourism experience with activities such as stargazing, special solar observations, astrophotography contests, camping under the stars and much more. Nakshatra Sabha will span until mid of 2025, offering a series of immersive events at various locations throughout Uttarakhand.  Sachin Kurve, IAS, Secretary, Tourism & CEO, Uttarakhand Tourism Board, said "With the launch of Nakshatra Sabha, our aim is to position Uttarakhand at the forefront of astro-tourism in India. This unique initiative, in collaboration with Starscapes, goes beyond promoting our state's natural beauty; it underscores our commitment to preserving our dark skies and fostering a deeper appreciation for the night sky among our communities.