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India's 51st Doppler Weather Radar Inaugurated at Sambalpur, Odisha

Union Minister Jitendra Singh virtually opened India's 51st Doppler Weather Radar at Sambalpur in Odisha, taking Mission Mausam a step further.

By Published · 2 min read
India's 51st Doppler Weather Radar Inaugurated at Sambalpur, Odisha

Why in News

On 17 September 2026 Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh virtually inaugurated India's 51st Doppler Weather Radar at Sambalpur in Odisha, an addition to the weather observation network being expanded under Mission Mausam.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh opened India's 51st Doppler Weather Radar on 17 September 2026. The radar stands at Sambalpur in Odisha. The inauguration was done virtually. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi was present.

What changes in Odisha

Odisha now has three Doppler Weather Radars. The earlier two are at Gopalpur and Paradip. The new radar will sharpen weather watch over Western Odisha. It will also help nearby areas. These include southern Jharkhand and northern Chhattisgarh. Parts of north Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal also gain.

How the network grew

The country had only 14 such radars in 2014. The network now stands at 51. Around 40 more radars are planned under Mission Mausam. That will take the national total to about 81. The Minister called this part of a wider effort to observe and respond to extreme weather.

Beyond radars

The Minister said radar alone cannot deliver preparedness. Automatic Weather Stations are being set up across Odisha. Rain gauges are going up at district and school level. Radio sonde stations and microwave radiometers are being deployed too. The goal is a multi-layered observation network. That should allow forecasts that are local and precise. Such forecasts matter for farming, disaster management and power systems.

More radars in the pipeline

Dr Singh said Balasore, Puri and Bhubaneswar are next in line for Doppler Weather Radars. Automated weather monitoring is also expanding at Ranchi, Kolkata, Jagdalpur and Patna. The India Meteorological Department extends weather and early warning support to 13 neighbouring countries in the spirit of Neighbourhood First.

At a glance

Facility51st Doppler Weather Radar of India
LocationSambalpur, Odisha
Network in 201414 radars
Network now51 radars
Planned additionAbout 40 more, taking the total to nearly 81
MissionMission Mausam, Ministry of Earth Sciences

Important Facts

Facility51st Doppler Weather Radar of India
LocationSambalpur, Odisha
Date17 September 2026, inaugurated virtually
Inaugurated byDr Jitendra Singh, MoS (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences
Also presentOdisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi
Radars in OdishaThree, with Gopalpur and Paradip
Network in 201414 radars
Planned under Mission MausamAbout 40 more, total near 81
Next locationsBalasore, Puri and Bhubaneswar
IMD supportWeather and early warnings for 13 neighbouring countries

Exam Point of View

Remember that the Sambalpur radar is India's 51st, that Odisha now has three such radars with Gopalpur and Paradip, that the network was 14 in 2014, that about 40 more are planned under Mission Mausam to reach about 81, the minister and ministry involved, and that the IMD supports 13 neighbouring countries.

Practice Questions

Q1.Science & TechnologyEasy

India's 51st Doppler Weather Radar, inaugurated on 17 September 2026, is located at which place?

  1. A.Paradip, Odisha
  2. B.Sambalpur, Odisha
  3. C.Gopalpur, Odisha
  4. D.Balasore, Odisha
Show answer

Correct answer: B. Sambalpur, Odisha

Explanation

The correct answer is Sambalpur, Odisha. The Union Minister of State for Earth Sciences inaugurated the radar virtually in the presence of the Chief Minister of Odisha, and its main job is to strengthen weather watch over Western Odisha along with adjoining parts of southern Jharkhand, northern Chhattisgarh, north Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. Options A and C are wrong because Paradip and Gopalpur already had radars before this one; with Sambalpur the state now counts three. Option D is wrong because Balasore is only in the pipeline, along with Puri and Bhubaneswar, and no radar was commissioned there on this day. Candidates should remember the pattern of such questions, which mix places that already have a facility with places that are only planned.

Q2.Science & TechnologyMedium

How many Doppler Weather Radars did India have in 2014, according to the Minister for Earth Sciences?

  1. A.8
  2. B.14
  3. C.24
  4. D.40
Show answer

Correct answer: B. 14

Explanation

The correct answer is 14. The Minister contrasted the position a decade ago with the present network, which has now reached 51 radars with the commissioning of the Sambalpur facility. Option A is wrong because no such figure was cited for that year. Option C is wrong for the same reason and simply sits between the old and new numbers to tempt a hurried guess. Option D is a trap of a different kind: that is the number of additional radars planned under Mission Mausam, which would take the national total to about 81, not the count for the base year. Learn the three numbers as a set, because questions on this topic usually ask for one while offering the other two as distractors.

Q3.Science & TechnologyEasy

Under which mission is India planning to add around 40 more Doppler Weather Radars?

  1. A.Mission Mausam
  2. B.Mission Samudra
  3. C.Mission Varsha
  4. D.Mission Akash
Show answer

Correct answer: A. Mission Mausam

Explanation

The correct answer is Mission Mausam. The Minister said around forty more radars are planned under this mission, which would raise the national total to roughly eighty-one. Options B, C and D are invented names placed here because they sound plausible in the same policy area; no such missions were named in connection with the radar network. The wider point of the announcement is that preparedness does not rest on radars alone. Automatic Weather Stations and rain gauges are being installed across Odisha down to district and school level, and radio sonde stations and microwave radiometers are being deployed, so that a multi-layered observation network can support localised forecasts useful to farming, disaster management and the power sector. The mission is run by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where was India's 51st Doppler Weather Radar inaugurated?

At Sambalpur in Odisha on 17 September 2026. Dr Jitendra Singh opened it virtually in the presence of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

How has the Doppler Weather Radar network grown?

From 14 radars in 2014 to 51 now. About 40 more are planned under Mission Mausam, which would take the national total to roughly 81.

Which places in Odisha already had Doppler Weather Radars?

Gopalpur and Paradip. With Sambalpur, the state now has three. Balasore, Puri and Bhubaneswar are next in the pipeline.

Sources

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