Dr. Rakesh Kumar, Director, CSIR-NEERI, Nagpur
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Dr Rakesh Kumar took charge as Director, CSIR-NEERI in May 2016. He completed his M.Tech. in Environmental Science and Engineering from IIT Bombay and he completed his Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering at CSIR-NEERI through RTM Nagpur University. He has significant contribution in the field of environmental science and engineering which has wide spectrum such as Air Pollution Control and Management, Water and Wastewater Treatment, Hazardous & Municipal Waste Management, Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Audit, Modelling, Health and Climate Change.Urban environment management is an another area where numberous works related to carrying capacity, urban heat island effect, waste management and water sector nalysis have been carried out. His special abilities has been to bridge the gap of laboratory to field leading to science being used for the society. |
He is a receipient of many awards; some notable ones are Commonwealth Commission Award, UK in 1994; “Environmental Leadership Award” by US Asia Environmental Partnership and US-AID for the year 2005 for outstanding contribution in improving quality of life for the population of Asia. He has been awarded for largest number of technology transfer for low cost waste water treatment-PHYTORID in the year 2012. He received VASVIK award for 2012 for his exemplary work for urban environment improvement and sustainable technology for better environment. He has been awarded "Hiyoshi Think of Ecology Award" in September 2015 for his work on use of ecology in solving environmental engineering problems; Trans Asia Chamber of Commerce for Industries (TACCI) for Environment Proetection, 2017; Mumbai Green Hero, 2019 and IDAC Award for Best Environmental Institution for exemplary environment protection work, 2020.
Dr Rakesh Kumar has 12 patents on pollution control devices. In October 2018, the Honourable Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan; Ministry of Science & Technology, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Ministry of Earth Sciences has launched an air pollution device designed by Dr Kumar and his team; WAYU, to help control outdoor air pollution. Also his contribution in developing technologies for reuse and recycle of domestic and industrial wastewater has brough a paradigm shift in the country. His efforts have always been for upliftment and application of science and Technology for a sustainable development. He has published more than 100 papers in national and international journals and many in national and international conferences. He has authored three Self Learning Books on various topics of Environemntal Science and Engineering, one of them for Commonwealth of Learning, Canada.
He has membership of many professional societies and is providing advisory as Chairman and member of variou national committees in MOEF&CC, CPCB, BIS, MDWS, MPCB and many other Government Institutions and also for Court and NGT matters. He is also worked on various assignments with many international agencies.
