New Delhi, Mar 12 (IANS): Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, on Saturday inaugurated north India's first space centre -- Satish Dhawan Centre for Space Sciences -- at the Central University of Jammu.

Stating that India has taken a lead in the field of space technology, the minister said that most space technology institutes were confined to the southern states till now.

"The opening of the space centre in J&K on the 75th year of India's Independence marks the march of space journey from Kerala to Kashmir under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. At the same time, naming it as Satish Dhawan Centre is a befitting tribute to one of the founding fathers of Indias' space programme. Satish Dhawan is from Jammu & Kashmir, but ironically not a single institute in J&K was named after him," he said.

Singh said that most of the space technology for the last 70 years was confined to south India, mostly in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala, which was an anomaly in the spread of space technology in the country.

Singh said the Centre has been steadfast in taking space technology to the remote corners of the country.

"The space technology in the country is advanced to the stage that premier space institutes like NASA requests for footage of many space adventures brought about by ISRO. Space technology has been given prime importance by the Centre," said Singh.

He further said that 60 students will be enrolled in B.Tech course in aviation and aeronautics through JEE in order to build this institute as one of the premier institutes in the country.