The Leh Indian Glaciology Summer School (LIGSS) 2025 (Theme: Climate) will target young and upcoming glaciologists (bachelors, masters, PhD and early career researchers) from India and abroad with interdisciplinary skills to examine the profound interplay between climatic processes and glacial dynamics in the Himalayas. Centered on glaciology and climate science, the school will delve into how shifting temperature, precipitation, and extreme weather patterns drive glacier retreat, alter mass balance, and influence regional hydrology that supports regional ecosystems and millions downstream. Participants will explore advanced techniques for integrating climate data, such as remote sensing, reanalysis datasets, and climate modeling, into glaciological research to better better understand past trends and project future impacts. The curriculum blends 12 in-person lectures, hands-on computer tutorials, evening research seminars, and a one-day field excursion to Khardung Glacier, complemented by collaborative group projects and presentations. Beyond structured sessions, the school prioritizes mentorship, offering sufficient opportunities for direct interaction with instructors and tutors. By fostering technical expertise, scientific collaboration, and fieldwork experience, the program aims to cultivate a new generation of researchers equipped to tackle pressing challenges in Himalayan cryosphere science and its global climate implications.

Fees: No fees, but selected participants must cover their travel expenses to and from Leh.

Application Open: 1 April 2025

Application Deadline: 15 April 2025

Results: 22 April 2025

Dates for Summer School: 17-29 June, 2025

 Arrival & Acclimatization: 17 June, 2025 ; Departure: 29 June, 2025

Venue: Mahabodhi International Meditation Center, Leh (3500 masl), Ladakh, India 

Capacity: 20 participants

Theme Coordinator: Pankaj Kumar (IISER Bhopal)

School coordinators:  Saurabh Vijay (IIT Roorkee), Argha Banerjee (IISER Pune), Sandipan Mukherjee (GBP NIHE), Purushottam Garg (GBP NIHE) 

The Application Form for LIGSS-2025 is designed to assess applicants’ background, research interests, and motivation for participating in the program. 

The target participants are bachelor's, master's, and PhD students, as well as early-career researchers.

Please use the GOOGLE LINK to submit your application. No other means of submission will be accepted.

All the best.

Unit 0: Preschool (June)

Python for Climate Science (Full-day tutorial for beginners to moderate users)

• Introduction to Python & Scientific Programming

• Installing Python & Jupyter Notebooks (or Google Colab)

• Basics: variables, data types, operators

• Control structures: conditionals and looping

• Functions and classes

• Scientific computing: NumPy, Pandas, SciPy, Xarray

• Data visualization: Matplotlib and Seaborn

Unit 1: Introduction to Climate Science and Cryosphere (3 Lectures + 3 Tutorials)

Lecture 1: Global Energy Balance

• Earth-System components: Geosphere, Cryosphere, Hydrosphere, Atmosphere, Biosphere

• Global and local energy balance: black body, shortwave and longwave radiation, greenhouse effect

• Introduction to a 0-d climate model

• Cryosphere-climate interactions: Albedo feedback, Snowball Earth events

• Tutorial 1: 0-d energy-balance model with Python; energy and mass balance of glaciers

Lecture 2: Global Circulation

• Natural forcing: orbital cycles, solar variability, volcanic aerosols

• Anthropogenic forcing: greenhouse gases, black carbon/aerosols

• 1-d climate model: Meridional heat imbalance, winds, ocean currents, heat/moisture flux

• Tutorial 2: 1-d climate model in Python; plotting temperature and wind profiles using reanalysis data

Lecture 3: Climate Variability and Change

• Global processes and variability: ITCZ, ENSO, teleconnections

• Regional systems: Monsoon and Western Disturbances; Himalayan orographic effects

• Anthropogenic climate change

• Tutorial 3: Extracting global warming signals from reanalysis data; Himalayan climate change

Unit 2: Fundamentals of Climate and Glacier Data and Modelling (3 Lectures + 2 Tutorials)

Lecture 4: Fundamentals of Climate Modelling

• Observing the global climate: weather station networks, HadCRUT/HadISST datasets

• Climate models: from EBMs to GCMs and ESMs

• Components of climate models: atmospheric physics, radiation, feedbacks, cryosphere representation

• Glacier modelling: energy/mass balance, ice flow, feedbacks, modelling challenges

Lecture 5: Climate Model Types & Cryosphere Representation

• Model types: AGCMs, GCMs, ESMs, glacier-specific models

• Cryosphere representation in models: snow, ice sheets, glaciers, permafrost, ice-ocean interactions

• Using observations and models for climate-glacier studies

• The Antarctic and Greenland Ice Sheets: impacts on global systems and sea-level rise

Lecture 6: Model Evaluation and Applications

• Validation with satellite/reanalysis datasets, metrics (bias, RMSE, MAE)

• Multi-model ensembles: CMIP, ISMIP

• Sensitivity analysis in glacier models

• Global and local feedback processes (e.g., ice-albedo, meltwater lubrication)

• Overview of the WCRP Climate & Cryosphere project

Unit 3: Global and Regional Cryosphere Projections (3 Lectures + 2 Tutorials)

Lecture 7: Glacier Response to Climate Change

• Introduction to glacier mass balance and their role as low-pass filters

• Temperature change experiments and delayed glacier response

• Glacier modelling frameworks and calibration techniques

• Feedbacks: melt-elevation, debris cover, avalanches

Lecture 8: Climate of Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH)

• Past and future climate trends and uncertainties in HKH

• Spatial heterogeneity in precipitation and glacier mass balance

• Topography and resolution challenges in models; CORDEX FPS CPTP project

• Downscaling techniques for glacier forcing

• Tutorial: Using COSMO-CLM data to run COSIPY and analyze surface fluxes

Lecture 9: Global and Regional Glacier Futures

• Past changes: GlaMBIE, Karakoram Anomaly

• Runoff projections under climate scenarios

• Glacier mass loss commitments, regional sensitivities

• Role of model ensembles: GlacierMIP2/3, Wimberley et al. (2025)

• Cryospheric impacts on hydrology in HKH

• Tutorials: Glacier volume projection using OGGM; water resource analysis in Himalayan basins

Unit 4: AI/ML for Climate-Glacier Interactions (3 Lectures + 2 Tutorials)

Lecture 10: Prerequisites for Deep Learning

• Basics of probability, statistics, and linear algebra

• Optimization methods

• Intuition for high-dimensional data spaces

Lecture 11: Deep Learning Foundations

• Neural networks and deep learning basics

• Training techniques

• Overview of popular network architectures

Lecture 12: Applications to Climate Science

• Deep learning applications in climate, weather, and glacier modeling

• Tutorial: Training your first neural network using multilayer perceptron

The course material will be UPLOADED after the summer school. Stay Tuned.

We received an overwhelming 370 applications from across India and neighboring countries. The selection process was highly competitive, with a thorough review of each application based on educational qualifications, motivation, gender balance, and regional diversity.

Below is the first list of 20 selected candidates, who have been contacted individually via email. Additionally, a waitlist pool has been prepared, and those candidates may be offered a seat depending on the responses received from the selected participants. Waitlisted candidates will be contacted starting next week.

Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre (MIMC), Leh, Ladakh, India

The Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre (MIMC), located in Leh, Ladakh, India, is a renowned institution dedicated to meditation, spiritual growth, and humanitarian services. Founded in 1986 by Venerable Bhikkhu Sanghasena, MIMC offers a serene environment for meditation and self-discovery. 

All classes, tutorials, accommodation, and meals will be provided at the Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre (MIMC) in Leh, Ladakh. Participants will stay on a dual-sharing basis, ensuring a comfortable and peaceful environment. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be served at the center, offering nutritious meals throughout the program. The serene surroundings and well-equipped facilities will support both academic learning and personal well-being during the status.

WEBSITE LINK: http://www.mahabodhi-ladakh.info/

GOOGLE LOCATION: https://maps.app.goo.gl/R2uG7DafCwVYPYgx8

HOW TO REACH THE CENTER

1. Train from Delhi to Jammu Tawi:

   • Route: Board a train from Delhi to Jammu Tawi, the nearest major railway station to Leh, approximately 700 km away.​

   • Travel Time: Around 10–12 hours.​

   • Note: Jammu Tawi is well-connected to Delhi with several trains operating daily. ​

2. Bus or Taxi from Jammu to Leh:

   • Route: From Jammu, you can hire a taxi or take a Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) bus to Leh.​

   • Travel Time: The journey spans approximately 700 km and typically takes 2 days, with an overnight stop, often in Kargil.​

   • Availability: Bus services are operational only from May to October, when the Srinagar-Leh Highway is open. ​

By Bus via Manali:

Alternatively, you can travel from Delhi to Leh via Manali:

1. Bus from Delhi to Manali:

   • Route: Several state-run and private buses operate from Delhi to Manali.​

   • Travel Time: Approximately 12–14 hours.​

2. Bus from Manali to Leh:

   • Route: From Manali, take a bus to Leh, covering about 474 km.​

   • Travel Time: This journey also takes 2 days, with an overnight halt, typically in Keylong.​

   • Availability: Services are available from June to September, during the open season for the Manali-Leh Highway.​

By Air:

Leh Airport, called Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport (IXL), is connect with a few major cities of India

Important Considerations:

• Acclimatization: Leh is situated at an altitude of approximately 3,500 meters. It's advisable to plan for acclimatization upon arrival to prevent altitude sickness.​

• Weather Conditions: Road accessibility to Leh is seasonal, heavily influenced by weather conditions. Always verify the current status of highways before planning your trip.​

• Advance Booking: Due to limited transportation options and high demand during the tourist season, it's recommended to book tickets in advance.​

Upon reaching Leh, the Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre is located about 12 km from the city center. Local taxis are available for transportation to the center. ​