Gamma-ray bursts are the most luminous explosions in the Universe, and their
origin as well as mechanism are the focus of intense research and debate. More
than three decades since their serendipitous discovery, followed by several
breakthroughs from space-borne and ground-based observations, they remain one
of the most interesting astrophysical phenomena yet to be completely
understood. Since the launch of Fermi with its unprecedented energy band width
spanning seven decades, the study of gamma-ray burst research has entered a new
phase. Here we review the current theoretical understanding and observational
highlights of gamma-ray burst astronomy and point out some of the potential
promises of multi-wavelength observations in view of the upcoming ground based
observational facilities.Comment: 45 pages, 18 figures; Special issue of the Bulletin of the
Astronomical Society of India on Transients from Radio to Gamma rays,
December, 2011, eds. D.J. Saikia and D.A. Gree
