- On 5 th March 1851, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) was established in
Calcutta during the period of colonial rule in India. - In 1851 Thomas Oldham arrived in Calcutta on 4th March and took charge of
office on 5th March, 1851, which marks the establishment of the Geological
Survey of India. - The Geological Survey of India (GSI) is a government organisation which is an
office associated with the Ministry of Mines of Union Government of India. - It conducts geological surveys and studies in India but it was set up in 1851
primarily to find coal deposits for the Railways. - It is headquartered in Kolkata and has six regional offices located at Lucknow,
Jaipur, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Shillong and Kolkata. Every state has a state unit. - The main functions of the GSI relate to creation and updation of national geo-
scientific information and mineral resource assessment - It is one of the oldest of such organisation in the world and the second oldest
survey institution in India. - Being the prime provider of basic earth science information to the Indian
government, industry and the general public, GSI is also the most responsive
participant in the international geoscientific fora, coal, steel, metals, power and
cement industries. - The phrase “Geological Survey of India” was first used on William’s Map of
the Damoodah and Adji Great Coal Field. - The work of Geological Survey was primarily refrained to exploration of coal
for powering steam transport, oil reserves and ore deposits, it was in 1852 that
Sir Thomas Oldham, father of Richard Dixon Oldham widened the scope of
functioning of GSI by advancing the argument with Indian government that it
was actually impossible to spot coal without first mapping the geological
structure of India. - To sum it up, the Geological Survey of India has indeed made excellent
contributions to seismology via its meticulous investigations, studies and
detailed reporting of earthquakes which shocked India in the 19th and early 20th century.
If you want to know more about GSI then click here
Read our blog on C.V. Raman by clicking here
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