On 27 September 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the three PARAM Rudra supercomputers, along with a high-performance computing system for weather and climate research.Three PARAM Rudra supercomputers have been installed in different locations across India: Delhi, Pune, and Kolkata. In Pune, the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope (GMRT) will use the supercomputer to study Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) and other astronomical phenomena. In Delhi, the Inter-University Accelerator Centre (IUAC) will utilize the supercomputer to boost research in fields such as Material Science and Atomic Physics.
The inauguration of the PARAM Rudra supercomputer at the S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS) in Kolkata is a major achievement for India’s high-performance computing landscape. Developed under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST), this supercomputer is set to transform research in fields like materials science, physics, and cosmology. These supercomputers, developed under India’s National Supercomputing Mission (NSM), were created at a cost of ₹130 crores. They represent a major step in advancing India’s computing capabilities and scientific research.
Boosting Research in Eastern India:
Located at SNBNCBS, the PARAM Rudra supercomputer will provide immense computing power to benefit 10-12 research institutes and thousands of scientists in the Eastern region of India. Well-known institutions such as the Bose Institute, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics (SINP), Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB), and IISER Kolkata will collaborate, using this advanced machine to perform complex calculations that once took days or weeks, in mere hours. This will drastically reduce the time required for scientific research, driving discoveries in multiple fields.
Supercharging Scientific Fields:
The PARAM Rudra supercomputer has a massive processing power of 838 TFLOPS (trillion floating point operations per second), which will push the boundaries of several scientific fields:
Materials Science: The supercomputer will help speed up the design of new materials important for electronics, aerospace, and energy, giving industries faster access to innovative solutions.
Earth Sciences: Researchers will use the supercomputer to model conditions within the Earth and on distant planets, aiding in the prediction of natural disasters and advancing climate change studies.
Biological Sciences: PARAM Rudra will support machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) in studying diseases and developing new treatments, which can lead to breakthroughs in healthcare.
Chemical Sciences: The supercomputer will help chemists study the structure of molecules at a deeper level, improving our understanding of chemical reactions essential for drug development and industrial processes.
Astrophysics: It will provide researchers with the tools to study the properties of the universe, contributing to international experiments like the ALICE project at CERN.
Applications Beyond Research:
Beyond academic and scientific applications, PARAM Rudra has practical uses that will benefit various sectors. As PM Modi emphasized, it will help in areas such as disaster management, economic development, and advanced manufacturing. For example, the supercomputer’s ability to model extreme weather conditions like cyclones and heatwaves will improve disaster preparedness, helping communities stay safer during natural calamities.
In industry, PARAM Rudra’s high-speed calculations will support semiconductor production, space missions, and other high-tech industries. Businesses can also use its power for optimizing supply chains and improving decision-making, especially in data-driven environments.
Conclusion:
The inauguration of the PARAM Rudra supercomputer marks a crucial step for India’s technological self-reliance in high-performance computing. By providing cutting-edge tools to researchers and industries, it will fuel scientific innovation, promote economic growth, and enhance disaster management. This development underscores India’s growing capacity to use advanced technology to secure a competitive edge on the global stage and shape the nation’s future.
