Dr. Rajendra Poddar,
DIRECTOR,
Water and Land Management Institute (WALMI) DHARWAD
Water Resources Department, Karnataka, INDIA
Mobile No. 9480724730 / 9448386889
Email- poddarrajendra@hotmail.com
Dr. Rajendra Poddar is a specialist in Agricultural Economics with focus on Natural Resources Management, Water Management, Irrigation and Agrarian Policy. He is a Post-Doctoral Fellow from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Organization (CSIRO), Australia with specialization in water resources policy. He is a graduate of Agricultural Sciences from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad (1986) and secured Master's (1990) and Ph.D. (1998) Degrees in Agricultural Economics from the same University. He started his career in 1994 as Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics at College of Agriculture, Vijayapura and served as Associate Professor and Professor of Agricultural Economics in the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad. Dr.Poddar served as Head of Project Planning and Monitoring Cell (PPMC), in the office of the Vice Chancellor of University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad from 2014 to 2018. Here, he was involved in several crucial policy assignments, looked after international affairs and was Nodal Officer for Study Abroad Programme.
Dr. Poddar has received several recognitions. During student days he received the coveted Fellowship of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi for Masters and Merit Fellowship for PhD. He is the recipient of prestigious Endeavour Research Fellowship (2008) of Government of Australia for Post-Doctoral studies.
He has been honored on several occasions by the farmers, and students groups and public organizations. He has been feted with Rashtriya Paryavaran Rakshak Award IN 2013 and 2018 from Tarun Bharat Sangh headed by the Water Man of India Dr. Rajendra Singh. In his leadership WALMI has conferred with National Level “Rastriya Jal Prahari Samman- 2019” for its mass awareness campaign, Vocational Excellence Award from Rotary Club, Dharwad in recognition in the field of Agriculture Economics, Water Management, Irrigation and Agrarian Policy.
In recognition of his expertise Dr. Poddar has been appointed to various National and International Expert Committees, A few are as follows; Member, Study Committee on CADA, WALMI and PIM, Government of Karnataka, Member, Integrated Water Resources Management Cell, Government of Karnataka. High level Committees of Government of Karnataka like Advisory Committee for Conservations of Lakes of Hubballi- Dharwad, State level Steering Committee for Benchmarking of Irrigation Projects etc. 1) Member, Krishna Mahadayi Dispute Technical Committee, WRD, GoK, 2) Member, Agri Water Use Efficiency Workstream Working Group, WRD, Karnataka 3) Life Member, Indian Network on Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) 4) Member, INCID, Central Water Commission, New Delhi 5) Member, ICID, New Delhi 6) Secretary, Working Group on Capacity Development Training and Education (WG-CDTE), ICID, 7) Member, Academic Council of the Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University, Gadag, 8) Member, Management committee, ACIWR, Member, Task Force, Ramthal Micro Irrigation Projects.
He has guided about 30 PG students and visited several countries including Australia, USA, Germany, Scotland, England, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Austria, Slovakia, Pakistan, Russia, Turkey and Nepal. He was representative of UAS Dharwad in the UN sponsored COP 22 summit climate change at Marrakesh in Morocco. He has handled about 20 research projects and has published 11 Research Reports, 70 Research Papers, 8 Chapters in Books, 40 Popular Articles and has presented papers in national and international national conference/ workshop/ training etc. As Director, WALMI, he has published dozens of popular papers, pamphlets, brouchers, reports, and success stories. He is publishing a Quarterly magazine Jala-Nela-Jana (Water- Land- People) in Kannada for the benefit of stakeholders in water and land management. As Organizing Secretary he was instrumental in organizing Global Water Meet for Climate Change Adaptation – Agrarian Perspectives during October 24-26, 2016 at UAS Dharwad, which came out with the famous Dharwad Declaration on Climate Change, Water and Agriculture - 2016. He was part of the organization that hosted the mega event of National Water Convention for Drought Free India in Vijayapura, Karnataka during 16-18, August, 2017. World Water Day (March 22), involving thousands of farmers, engineers and students is being organized in WALMI under his guidance. He is actively involved in campaigns on sustainable water, land and agriculture management.
In recognition of experience and his expertise he was appointed Director of Water and Land Management Institute (WALMI), Dharwad under the Department of Water Resources, Karnataka in February 2018 by the Government of Karnataka. During his term as Director of WALMI he has successfully strengthened the Institute and made it fully functional to fulfill its mandate. Dr. Rajendra Poddar is dedicated to the cause of welfare of students, farmers and community initiatives for the last 30 years.
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