The inauguration session, chaired by NRSPS president Rabin K. Sharma, began with a welcome from NRSPS vice-president Ganga B. Tuladhar to the nearly hundred participants. Prof. Dr. Hom Nath Bhattarai, vice-chancellor of Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), stressed that NRSPS should address a proposal of policy to the concerned rather than referring only to the problems. It should identify to the government NRSPS as the national organisation to deal with space technology in Nepal.

Keynote

In his keynote, "Advanced Space Technologies", Prof. Emeritus Shunji Murai, general secretary of the Asian Association on Remote Sensing (AARS), described the use of ALOS data as cost-effective for disaster management; he was currently working on earthquake prediction by continual analysis of observed GPS data. Professor Murai emphasised the need for space technology to be promoted for national development purposes, particularly in Nepal. He also showed an animation film on the impact of mountain tsunami. Dr Krishna Pahadi, NRSPS secretary, then offered a vote of thanks and Rabin K. Sharma closed the session saying, 'Reaching destinations a thousand steps away begins with one step': although the NRSPS had been established sixteen years ago, it had just begun the journey towards its destination.

Technical Sessions

Nine oral papers were presented in two technical sessions covering topics on topographical mapping and cadastre, urban and rural development study, landslide-hazard zoning, ecosystem study, and NSDI initiatives in Nepal. The papers on "Issues and challenges in NSDI initiatives in Nepal" and "Monitoring of ecological restoration of wetland" were particularly highly appreciated by the audience. The Survey Department of Nepal exhibited various products and demonstrated updating of topographical base-maps using remote-sensing techniques.