As five Indian scientists from “Himadri,” India’s Arctic station at Svalbard, listened in by video link, a dire climate change warning that linked varying monsoon patterns in India with Arctic ice melts was presented to President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday evening.
Jan-Gunnar Winther, director of the Norway Polar Institute, said at the Fram maritime museum that scientists had consistently underestimated the process of climate change.
Sitting alongside Norwegian King Harald V, President Mukherjee asked the five scientists about the links they had managed to establish between Arctic ice melting and monsoon pattern changes in India.
“I wish you all success,” the President told the five scientists who were standing in snow at temperatures of minus five degrees at the “Himadri” station.
He said the Indians at the Arctic station were taking risks by subjecting themselves to the cold, hostile climate.
Mr. Mukherjee also sought suggestions from three Indian Ph.D candidates Archana Meshram, Srikumar Roy and Teena Chauhan, who joined in by a separate video link from the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) located in Longyearbyen on how India-Norway cooperation could be taken forward.
Ms. Mesram said being able to study in Norway presented a huge opportunity for her and suggested to the President that more Indian universities should be involved in research activities with their Norwegian counterparts.
Dr. Winther, on his part, said the period of the Indian monsoon was getting longer while rainfall was getting concentrated.
Earlier, King Harald V received the President at the Akerhaus Castle even as a few school children stood around waving Indian and Norwegian flags on a sunny Monday morning.
Mr. Mukherjee also visited the Norwegian Parliament, or Storting, where he was greeted by its President Olemic Thommessen.
Corrections and Clarifications:
This article has been edited for a factual error.
