Prof. Suresh Chand Ray
University of Delhi, India
Dr. Suresh C. Rai, Professor in Geography at Department of Geography, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi was born on 12th July, 1958 in the Village Jahaniapur, District Mau, U.P., India. He did his Masters in Geography from Banaras Hindu University in 1979 with specialization in Applied Geography and Regional Planning. He was also awarded Ph.D. degree in Geography from Banaras Hindu University in 1984.
His significant contributions are in the field of land and water resource management, watershed management, biodiversity, ecotourism and micro-level planning. His work has been outstanding on the Integrated Watershed Management in the Sikkim Himalaya have been recognized through the Soil and Water Conservation Society of USA, Award, 1999. He also made significant achievements on Hydro-ecology of a sacred lake, Indigenous knowledge and Enterprise based community linked biodiversity conservation on major tourist destination in Sikkim. The extensive studies made by Dr. Rai on various aspects of mountain hydrology have not only helped in understanding the structure and function of the systems, but also in finding out means of how to make the system sustainable. He was also involved in Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India sponsored project on designing and construction of low cost polythene based water tanks in rainfed hills and farm based technology packages. He is also associated in various capacity and positions with many Institutions and Organizations such as UGC, ICSSR, NCERT, CBSE etc. Prof. Rai participated and delivered lectures in a number of meetings organized by International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), Core Projects “Biospheric Aspects of Hydrological Cycle” (BAHC), IAHS/IAH and International Human Dimensions Programme (IHDP).
He has supervised 9 Ph.D. and 20 M. Phil., students. He has published more than 90 research papers in various impact factor/peer-reviewed journals and books (h-index-14). He has also authored 8 books to enrich the discipline. He has been awarded “Highly Commended Paper Award- 2016” from Willey and Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), London, U.K. Prof. Rai has also been the recipient of “Professor Bandaru Hema Malini Eminent Geographers Award- 2013” by National Association of Geographers, India (NAGI) Delhi. He received “Honourable Mention Best Paper Award for 1999” by Board of Directors of Soil and Water Conservation Society, USA, and En-gratis Membership Awarded by Ecological Society of America, from 1999 to 2004. He received Honorary Appointment to the Research Board of Advisors, 2000 by The Board of Directors, Governing Board of Editors, and Publications Board of The American Biographical Institute, USA. Since 2010, he is serving as Secretary General of National Association of Geographers, India (NAGI), the largest society of the Geographers in India.