National Geographical Society of India

The National Geographical Society of India (NGSI) is a non-profit scientific and educational society and professional body for geography.[1] Established in 1946 at the Department of Geography, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, it is one of the oldest and leading professional bodies for geography in India. The stated aim of the society is to advance geographical knowledge and support geographers in India and around the world.[2]

National Geographical Society of India
Formation1946; 78 years ago (1946)
FounderProfessor Harbans Lal Chhibbar (1899-1955)
Founded atBanaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
TypeLearned Society
HeadquartersDepartment of Geography, Banaras Hindu University
Official language
English, Hindi
Honorary Secretary
Professor V. N. Sharma, Department of Geography, BHU
Award(s)1. Jawahar Lal Nehru Medal

2. Vallabh Bhai Patel Medal

3. Madan Mohan Malviya Medal
Websitewww.ngsi.in

History

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It was founded in 1946 by Harbans Lal Chhibbar (1899–1955),[3] a noted geologist and geographer who also founded the Department of Geography at Banaras Hindu University. He was succeeded by Ram Lochan Singh[4] (1917–2001), who earned a doctorate from the London School of Economics.

Between 1955 and 1970, the activities of NGSI expanded. In 1964, "Research Publication Series’ was launched, and the Society grew through hosting seminars, conferences, and symposiums; Summer School (1966); collaboration with the International Geographical Union and leading international geographers from different centers of eminence across the world.

In the year 1971, Silver Jubilee of NGSI was celebrated by organising a symposium on "Rural Settlements in Monsoon Asia" on behalf of the IGU Commission.[5] This occasion was also marked by the release of the book India: A Regional Geography (ed. R.L. Singh).[6] This monumental work earned international repute and recognition for the Society and appreciation for the Indian geographers’ insight,, abilityand rigour.

Scientific publications

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Journals

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National Geographical Journal of India

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National Geographical Journal of India
DisciplineGeography
LanguageEnglish
Edited bySrabani Sanyal
Publication details
History1955–present
Publisher
National Geographical Society of India, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University (India)
FrequencyQuarterly
Standard abbreviations
ISO 4Natl. Geogr. J. India
Indexing
ISSN0027-9374
LCCN59032766
OCLC no.1606287
Links

The National Geographical Journal of India is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal covering research on all aspects of geography. It is published by the National Geographical Society of India, which is housed at the Department of Geography, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University.[7][8] The journal was established in 1955. The editor-in-chief is Srabani Sanyal of the Department of Geography of Banaras Hindu University.[9] In 1972, NGJI was ranked 50th among periodical titles internationally in a quantitative analysis of periodical articles in geography and their distribution.[10]

Rashtriya Bhaugolik Patrika

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Rashtriya Bhaugolik Patrika (transl. National Geographical Journal) is the biannual Hindi journal published since 2010 by the NGSI with an ISSN of 2230-9942. It was started at the 150th birth anniversary of Mahamana Madan Mohan Malviya.[11][12]

Inactive publications

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  • Bulletins of National Geographical Society of India[13] [1946-1954]
  • Geo-Sciences Journal [1986-1989]

Books

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The Society has published over 60 bulletins, research reports, books, and monographs.[14] Some of the important ones are mentioned below.

  1. India: A Regional Geography[6]
  2. Rural Settlments in Monsoon Asia[5]
  3. Clan Settlements in Saran Plain[15]

Past conferences

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Between 1966 and 2020, the Society organized over 45 national and international seminars.[16] Four each were sponsored by the International Geographical Union and the University Grants Commission (New Delhi). National Summer School in "Applied Geography" (1–10 November 1966) was the first ever conference or symposium organized by the NGSI. IGU-sponsored conferences were conducted in 1968, 1971, 1975, and 1979; the first one was focused on urban geography, and the other three were focused on rural settlements.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ "History – NGSI – National Geographical Society of India". Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  2. ^ "Banaras Hindu University". bhu.ac.in. Archived from the original on 30 September 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  3. ^ Kayastha, Shanti Lal (1955). "Dr. H.L. Chhibber: Obituary" (PDF). National Geographical Journal of India. 1: 62. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 August 2014.
  4. ^ Singh, Dr Rana P. B. (1 January 2002). "Professor Ram Lochan Singh(1917–2001)". Tourism Recreation Research. 27 (1): i. doi:10.1080/02508281.2002.11081350. ISSN 0250-8281. S2CID 178726798.
  5. ^ a b Singh, R. L; International Geographical Union, eds. (1972). Rural settlements in monsoon Asia; proceedings of I.G.U. symposia at Varanasi and Tokyo. Varanasi: National Geographical Society of India on behalf of the I[nternational] G[eographical] U[nion] Commission. OCLC 623940.
  6. ^ a b Singh, R L (1971). "India: A Regional Geography". INDIAN CULTURE. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Banaras Hindu University". bhu.ac.in. Archived from the original on 7 August 2018. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  8. ^ "About the Journal | National Geographical Journal of India". ngji.in. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  9. ^ "National Geographical Journal of India". ngji.in. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  10. ^ Aiyepeku, Wilson O. (1972). "The Periodical Literature of Geography". Libri. 22 (3): 169–182. doi:10.1515/LIBR.1972.22.3.169. S2CID 143885810.
  11. ^ "Banaras Hindu University". bhu.ac.in. Archived from the original on 17 August 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  12. ^ Jha, Darshan Kumar; Tripathi, V.K. (December 2017). "उत्तरआधुनिकतावाद एवं उत्तरआधुनिक भूगोल : एक परिचर्चा (Postmodernism and Postmodern Geography : A discussion)". राष्ट्रीय भौगोलिक पत्रिका (Rashtriya Bhaugolik Patrika). 8 (2): 1.
  13. ^ "NGSI Bulletin No. 1, August 1946 | National Geographical Journal of India". ngji.in. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  14. ^ "Publications – NGSI – National Geographical Society of India". Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  15. ^ Singh, RPB (1977). Clan Settlements in the Saran Plain (Middle Ganga Valley): A Study in Cultural Geography. Varanasi, India: National Geographical Society of India.
  16. ^ "Banaras Hindu University, Faculty of Science,Department of Geography, Varanasi". www.bhu.ac.in. Archived from the original on 18 November 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2021.