National Technology Day-11 May

Why in news?

National Technology Day is celebrated every year on 11 May in India.
It is organized by the Technology Development Board of India.
On this day, individuals who have made significant contributions to science and technology are honored.

History of National Technology Day:

This day was first celebrated on May 11, 1999.
The day was named by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
On May 11, 1998, India successfully tested its Shakti-1 nuclear missile in an operation called Pokhran-II.
This is known as Operation Shakti, which was led by the then President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
- Also, India also successfully tested the Trishul missile (short-range surface-to-air missile).
- On the same day, India also tested the first indigenous aircraft 'Hansa-3'.

Pokhran-I:

It was India's first nuclear test, which was successfully carried out on 18 May 1974 in Pokhran, Rajasthan.
The codename of this test was "Smiling Buddha".
It is considered to mark the beginning of India's nuclear weapons program and is seen as a historic achievement in the field of science and technology of India.

Important facts:

Location: This test was conducted at a test site located in Pokhran, Rajasthan.
Date: This test was conducted on 18 May 1974.
Cause of crisis: This test was an attempt to strengthen India's strategic security approach with Pakistan and China.
Scientific leadership: Indian nuclear scientist Dr. Raja Ramanna and many scientists under his leadership contributed to making this test successful.
Result: "Smiling Buddha" put India in the list of nuclear powers and was considered as a significant event in the global security scenario.
Political context: During this test, India under the leadership of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi took this step to enhance its security.