Vainu Bappu Observatory (VBO), a major national observatory for optical astronomy started regular scientific observations in 1968, using a 38-cm reflector. Today, VBO hosts the 2.3 m VBT, 1.3 m JCBT, 1 m Carl Zeiss and a 0.75 m telescope, contributing significantly to optical astronomy.

To mark VBO's 50 years' journey of scientific endeavours and to remember the people involved in its development, a meeting is organised on August 9, 2018 at IIA.