Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has established the world’s highest terrestrial centre at Changla near Pengong lake in Ladakh. The centre will serve as a natural cold storage for preserving rare and endangered medical plants for generations to come.
The centre was inaugurated by Director General, DRDO Dr S Christopher. Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR), Leh, a constituent establishment of DRDO has established this Extreme Altitude Research Centre at Changla at 17,600 ft above mean sea level.
The centre will act as an important utility for research work in frontal areas of food and agriculture and bio-medical sciences for well being of the soldiers deployed in high altitude cold desert. A large number of Life Sciences activities are proposed to be undertaken at this centre.
The Extreme Altitude Habitat Shelter and the Scientific Exhibition Hall has also been setup within the centre. Dr. Bhuvnesh Kumar, Director of DRDO said that the high altitude centre, besides undertaking Life Sciences activities, may provide unique opportunity to other labs and establishments of DRDO for testing and evaluation of electronics and communication devices, testing of materials for high altitude applications, batteries and fuel cells, UAV’s micro engines, high altitude clothing, etc. in naturally occurring extreme cold conditions at Changla.