Prime Minister virtually launched three Param Rudra Supercomputing Systems under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM).
National Supercomputing Mission (NSM)
- Launch Year: The National Supercomputing Mission was launched in 2015 as a seven Year programme with a total Budget of Rs. 4500 Crore.
- Goal: to enhance India’s research capacity by connecting institutions into a supercomputing grid, using the National Knowledge Network (NKN) as the backbone.
- NKN: A high-speed network connecting academic institutions and R&D labs across India to enable data sharing and collaboration.
- Implementing Bodies:
- The mission is jointly steered by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY).
- C-DAC Pune and IISc Bengaluru are the primary implementing agencies.
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PARAM Rudra Supercomputers Deployed in Pune
- PARAM Rudra Supercomputers are developed indigenously by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM)
- The 3 supercomputers, developed indigenously at a cost of ₹130 crore, have been deployed in Pune, Delhi, and Kolkata
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Key Feature of PARAM Rudra Supercomputer
- Exceptional Processing Power:
- Operates thousands of times faster than conventional computers.
- Can complete tasks in minutes that would take ordinary computers 500 years.
About Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs)
- Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are mysterious emissions of radio waves originating from distant galaxies.
- These bursts emit as much energy in a millisecond as the sun does over several weeks.
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- Massive Data Processing Capability:
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- Can handle vast amounts of data simultaneously, essential for complex simulations and scientific analysis.
- Diverse Research Applications:
- Supports advancements in fields like climate modelling, environmental studies, and astrophysics.
- Enhances analysis of astronomical events and natural phenomena.
Deployment of Super Computers
- Giant Metre Radio Telescope (GMRT) in Pune: It will utilize the supercomputer to study Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) and other astronomical phenomena.
- Inter-University Accelerator Centre (IUAC) in Delhi: It will advance research in fields such as material science and atomic physics. S.N. Bose Centre in Kolkata: It will drive advanced research in areas including physics, cosmology, and earth sciences.
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High Performance Computing
- HPCs: Designed for specific tasks, often within a company or institution. They offer high processing power but may not be as powerful as supercomputers.
- Speed Difference: Supercomputers typically operate at petaflop speeds (quadrillions of floating-point operations per second), while HPCs may operate at teraflop speeds (trillions of floating-point operations per second).
- This difference in speed is crucial for tasks requiring intensive calculations.
- Supercomputers focus only on performance whereas HPCs balance performance with efficiency and cost.
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About HPC Systems ‘Arka’ and ‘Arunika’
- The newly launched HPC systems will enable the development of high-resolution models to improve predictions related to:
- Tropical cyclonesHeavy
- precipitationThunderstorms
- Hailstorms
- Heat waves
- Droughts and other weather phenomena
Significance
- Indigenous Development: These supercomputers have been developed indigenously under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) to advance scientific research in India.
- Self Reliance: This initiative aligns with the Centre’s efforts toward Atma Nirbharta (self-reliance) in supercomputing technology
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Supercomputers
- Definition: Supercomputers are high-performing mainframe systems capable of solving complex computations by splitting tasks into multiple parts and processing them simultaneously.
- Measurement of Speed (petaFLOPs): The processing speed of supercomputers is measured in petaFLOPs (floating point operations per second), where one petaFLOP equals a thousand trillion operations per second.
- Global Supercomputer Rankings:
- China leads the world in the number of supercomputers, followed by the US, Japan, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, and the UK.
- India’s Supercomputing Journey:
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- First Supercomputer: India’s first supercomputer was PARAM 8000 developed in 1991.
- First Indigenously Assembled Supercomputer: PARAM Shivay, installed at IIT (BHU).
Application of Supercomputers in Various Sectors
- Scientific Research: Complex simulations and modeling,Climate change studies, Drug discovery and development, Particle physics research,etc
- Engineering and Design: Aerospace engineering simulations, Automotive design and testing, Structural analysis and optimization.
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: Training large language models, Deep learning applications, Natural language processing
- Financial Modelling: Risk assessment and prediction, Portfolio optimization, High-frequency trading, etc
- National Security: Cryptography and code-breaking, Intelligence analysis and Cybersecurity
- Weather Forecasting: Accurate weather prediction and Climate modelling
- Healthcare: Genomics research, Medical image analysis and Drug discovery.
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September 27, 2024
