S.K. Satheesh

Global Hub Director, South Asia Hub

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Prof. S. K. Satheesh is an Indian meteorologist and a professor at the Centre for Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). He holds the chair of the Divecha Centre for Climate Change, a centre undertaking research on climate variability, climate change and their impact on the environment. He is known for his studies on atmospheric aerosols and is an elected fellow of all the three major Indian science academies, i.e., Indian Academy of Sciences, Indian National Science Academy and the National Academy of Sciences, India, as well as The World Academy of Sciences. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, the apex agency of the Government of India for scientific research, awarded him the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology, one of the highest Indian science awards for his contributions to Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences in 2009. He received the TWAS Prize of the World Academy of Sciences in 2011. In 2018, he received the Infosys Prize (in Physical Sciences category), one of the highest monetary awards in India that recognize excellence in science and research, for his work in the field of climate change. In recent years, Prof. Satheesh has conceived and led numerous field experiments in remote and hostile environments, in pursuit of the science of aerosols, employing research ships and aircrafts, besides a network of ground-based observatories. The campaigns in which Prof. Satheesh was the Chief Mission Scientist remain benchmarks in scientific planning, meticulous execution, creative data analysis and interpretation. Currently, as the Director of Future Earth GSH South Asia, Prof. Satheesh is responsible for entwining his knowledge for action plans for sustainable development. In recognition of his outstanding research contributions in the field of Atmospheric Science and Technology the Ministry of Earth Sciences honoured him with the “National Award in the field of Atmospheric Science and Technology” for the year 2019.

Raj Singh

Associate Director, South Asia Hub

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With 37 years of distinguished public service, he retired on May 31, 2023, as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Head of Forest Force in Karnataka. Throughout the career, he played pivotal roles in various domains, including afforestation and forest regeneration, where he implemented a highly effective and cost-efficient model for rejuvenating degraded forests, providing employment to marginalized communities and contributing significantly to soil conservation and biodiversity enhancement. As the Director General of Environment Management and Policy Research Institute (EMPRI) and Member Secretary of Karnataka Biodiversity Board, he spearheaded initiatives promoting applied policy research in climate science and environmental compliance, formulated strategic policies for environment and climate change, and recommended legal mechanisms for their implementation. His tenure at the Karnataka Biodiversity Board involved establishing a groundbreaking methodology for People's Biodiversity Registers, documenting over 6000 People’s Biodiversity Register (PBRs), later adopted by other states. He championed Forest Management programs involving local communities, operationalizing Village Forest Committees to ensure sustainable forest management and create livelihood opportunities. He also initiated human-animal conflict mitigation programs, engaging closely with communities, creating awareness, and providing alternative livelihood options, reducing conflicts with wildlife. Law enforcement, addressing issues like deforestation, illegal logging, and wildlife protection, remained integral to his roles. At Jungle Lodges and Resorts Ltd, a government enterprise, he established eco-resorts in Karnataka, collaborating with the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, to promote community development, sustainable livelihoods, environmental conservation, and community empowerment.

Smriti Basnett

Deputy Director, South Asia Hub

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Dr Smriti Basnett’s concern for society and environment fuels her desire to bring about the changes she wants to see around her. Smriti believes that change can be most effectively wrought by interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches. She works tirelessly to this end through the Future Earth Program at Divecha Centre for Climate Change (DCCC) located in the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore. Smriti manages and directs programs for South Asia, pushing for the espousal of the Sustainable Development Goals in national and regional policies. She is currently working to establish Working Groups and Committees on Food Security, Water Security, Clean Air and Health in South Asia for Future Earth. Smriti started her career as a Junior Research Fellow in the Sikkim Glacier Commission from DST-Sikkim, continued her research at ISRO, SAC, Ahmedabad and DCCC, IISc, Bangalore between 2007 and 2016. After her PhD on ‘Glacier and Snow Studies in Sikkim Himalaya’, she worked with Sikkim University and local communities. She led many glacier expeditions, developed the university curriculum and helped establish DST's Centre of excellence on water resources, cryosphere and climate change at Sikkim University. While monitoring glaciers in North Sikkim, Smriti spent a lot of time working with the local communities, conducting science and art awareness programs in various urban and rural schools, documenting narratives on yak herding and trying her hand at the local traditional farming practices. She is a Co-leader in the UNESCO Project, ‘Himalayan Glaciers and Risks to Local Communities’, and conducts training, workshops and capacity development activities in Bhutan, Nepal and Sikkim. Smriti volunteers to work with the rural schools in North Sikkim and also to work with the Indian Himalayan Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI). Smriti was a Berkner fellow and represented South Asia at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and an ICIMOD fellow at the HUC-IHCAP glacier training and expedition (2017). Smriti likes skiing, paragliding, hiking, table tennis and running.

Sruthi Subbanna

Science Policy Analyst, South Asia Hub

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Sruthi Subbanna has joined Future Earth as a Science Policy Analyst: Food Security and Malnutrition. She has been working in the field of research for close to a decade across multiple environmental projects over time, some of which include: preparing the environment report card for Bengaluru, working on the draft climate action plan for the state of Karnataka and for the city of Bangalore, projects related to carbon sequestration potential, solid waste management, water quality, air quality etc. She has, in the past, worked with different research institutes like Institute for Social and Economic Change, not for profit organisations like Environment Support Group and Centre for Sustainable Development, and think tanks like World Resources Institute. Sruthi is also a National Governing Council member of Bamboo Society of India for the period 2021-2024. Sruthi has authored and co-authored several peer reviewed journal papers and popular articles and has attended many national and international conferences. She has a doctoral degree in Forestry (Forest Ecology and Environment) from Forest Research Institute Deemed to be University which she completed in early 2021. Her doctoral work focused on the socio-economic and ecological significance of bamboo-based farm forestry across different agroclimatic zones. She holds a Master of Science from Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, USA and a Bachelor of Science from Mumbai University, India. During her spare time, Sruthi loves to read books and is also an ardent terrace gardener.