PhD Scholars
Dr. Pandurang Laxmikant Balwant
PhD Scholar
Scientist-B at the Central Water and Power Research Station
(CWPRS), Pune. Ph.D. (AcSIR) 2023.
I am a Scientist-B at the Central Water and Power Research
Station (CWPRS), Pune, an autonomous research organization
under the Government of India. I earned my Ph.D. in Physical
Sciences from the Academy of Scientific and Innovative
Research (AcSIR) in 2023, where my doctoral research focused
on developing non-invasive geophysical techniques to assess
soil bioremediation processes. My research expertise includes
applied geophysics, environmental monitoring, soil and
groundwater contamination, and advanced electrical resistivity
and induced polarization methods.
Prior to joining
CWPRS, I gained extensive research experience at CSIR-NEERI as
a project staff member and contributed to numerous R&D and
consultancy projects for organizations such as DST, MoEF&CC,
NGT, Reliance, Coal India, NTPC, and Adani. I have published
multiple research papers in reputed national and international
SCI journals, addressing critical issues related to soil
remediation, groundwater assessment, and environmental
sustainability. I am also a recipient of a Post-Doctoral
Fellowship from Central South University, China.
Project Associates
Anuj Kumar Tripathi
Project Associate
Research Officer at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences
(TISS), Mumbai
I am an environmental and social research professional with
experience in field-based research, environmental monitoring,
biodiversity assessment, and community engagement. I am
currently working as a Research Officer at the Tata Institute
of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, and previously served as a
Project Associate-II at the CSIR-National Environmental
Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur.
I
have coordinated fieldwork, surveys, and community
interactions, ensuring high-quality data collection and
accurate reporting. I have also been actively involved in
environmental sampling and monitoring of water, soil, air,
sediments, flora, and fauna, and have contributed to
biodiversity assessments, ecological restoration initiatives,
and environmental management planning. My work reflects a
strong commitment to sustainable environmental management and
urban green spaces research.
I hold a Master's
degree in Environmental Science and a Postgraduate Diploma in
Biodiversity, Wildlife Conservation, and Management .
Bhargav Arandhara
Project Associate
Currently as a Consultant for Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management in Kaziranga Tiger Reserve under the Wildlife Trust
of India
With over 3 years of experience in research, my initial
project was the Assessment of Impacts from the Baghjan Oil
Blowout in Assam, under the guidance of Dr Shalini Dhyani.
Thereafter, I worked at the North Eastern Space Applications
Centre, where I identified forest gaps, detected opium poppy
plantations across Manipur, and analysed land-use change. I
used R programming to estimate the concentration of trace
gases using satellite data while working at Cotton University.
Currently, I work as a consultant for Disaster
Risk Reduction and Management in Kaziranga Tiger Reserve under
the Wildlife Trust of India, where we are pioneering the first
Disaster Management Plan for a protected area in India.
Jayshree Shukla
Project Associate
PhD Scholar at the University of Adelaide, Australia
Jayshree Shukla is an early-career ecological researcher with
a Master's degree in Life Sciences and currently holds a PhD
scholarship at the University of Adelaide, Australia. Her
research explores coastal vulnerability to climate change and
pathways to mitigate its impacts through improved restoration,
conservation, and management of coastal ecosystems.
She
has three years of interdisciplinary experience across
research and project coordination at CSIR-NEERI, Nagpur, and
editorial review at Cactus Communications, Mumbai. She has
contributed to, and authored multiple peer-reviewed
publications bridging urban and marine ecology. Her work is
driven by a strong commitment to applied, climate-relevant
research that supports real-world conservation outcomes for
both ecosystems and communities.
Kavita Bramhanwade
Project Associate
Biotechnologist I am a biotechnologist specializing in environmental biotechnology, nanobiotechnology, microbial processes, and sustainable water and soil management. I hold an M.Sc. in Biotechnology from Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, with master's research on the in vitro evaluation of copper nanoparticles against crop pathogenic fungi, and have qualified CSIR-UGC NET (Life Sciences) and MH-SET. I served as a Junior Research Fellow and Project Associate at CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI), Nagpur, contributing to environmental monitoring, biodegradation and bioaccumulation studies, and soil-water contamination assessment. My research interests include nanomaterials in agriculture, diatom-based applications, and ecosystem services for sustainable development
Manu Thomas
Project Associate
PhD researcher at the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland I am a PhD researcher in Social and Economic Geography and Spatial Management at the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland. My research focuses on environmental and land-use conflicts, biodiversity conservation, and sustainability transitions. I hold a Master's degree in Environmental Science from Pondicherry University, India. I have over two years of research experience as a Project Associate at the CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), India, and have also worked as a Research Consultant at Thanal Trust, Thiruvananthapuram. My research interests include urban biodiversity, ecosystem services, and environmental governance .
Rajendra Kumar Joshi
Project Associate
Plant Ecologist, Ph.D. from JNU, New Delhi
I am a Plant Ecologist with a Ph.D. from Jawaharlal Nehru
University (JNU), New Delhi. My research focuses on ecology
and environmental Science, forest ecosystem carbon and
nutrient dynamics, plant ecophysiology, biodiversity
conservation, urban ecology, restoration ecology, soil
ecology, statistics and computer applications, and climate
change and policies, with particular emphasis on Himalayan and
Indian forest ecosystems. My work integrates field ecology,
soil-plant interactions, and ecosystem carbon assessment with
tools such as Remote Sensing and GIS (ArcGIS and QGIS). I have
published more than 26 peer-reviewed research articles.
In
addition to research, I have teaching experience as a Guest
Assistant Professor at the University of Delhi, where I teach
Ecology and Environmental Science courses. My current
interests include forest carbon markets, Natural Climate
Solutions, restoration ecology, and climate policy.
Rupali Nayal
Project Associate
Associate at IIT Bombay Research Hub (GESH IITB)
I am an Associate in Training and Education at the IIT Bombay
Research Hub for Green Energy and Sustainability (GESH IITB),
where I support the design, coordination, and delivery of
sustainability-focused training programmes. Previously, I
worked as a Project Associate at CSIR-NEERI, Nagpur, where I
contributed to research on cultural ecosystem services,
biodiversity and ecological monitoring, freshwater systems,
and urban environmental assessments. My work involved
extensive field surveys, spatial analysis, data processing,
and report preparation.
I have also worked on
microplastics research in Himalayan freshwater systems,
groundwater quality studies, wildlife monitoring projects, and
environmental outreach initiatives, and have published my
research in peer-reviewed journals. I hold an MSc in
Environmental Science and a BSc (Hons.) in Forestry.
Sanskriti Mugal
Project Associate
Currently Pursuing MS. in Process Safety and Environmental
Engineering at Otto-von-Guericke University in Germany
Sanskriti is an experienced environmental professional
dedicated to advancing sustainability through innovative
research and life cycle assessments. Currently pursuing a
Master's in Process Safety and Environmental Engineering at
Otto-von Guericke University in Germany, she specializes in
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA),carbon capture technologies, and
renewable energy solutions.
With a background as a Project Associate at CSIR-NEERI,
Sanskriti has led complex assessments in floral diversity,
groundwater depletion, and GIS-based Land Use mapping. She is
proficient in OpenLCA, ArcGIS, and Aspen Plus, and holds
certifications in GRI standards and Carbon Neutrality.
Sanskriti is passionate about leveraging technology to
minimize environmental impacts and drive global
sustainability
Sunidhi Singh
Project Associate
Environmental Consultant at AtkinsRéalis Sunidhi Singh is an experienced environmental professional with over seven years of expertise in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Environmental Site Assessment, field sampling and analysis, cumulative impact assessment, and climate impact assessment. She is currently working as an Environmental Consultant at AtkinsRéalis and has published 11 papers in reputed journals.
Dr. Nihal Gujre
Project Associate (Previous Role)
Project Staff | CSIR-NEERI Before becoming an INSPIRE Faculty, Dr. Nihal Gujre served as a Project Associate/Project Staff at CSIR-NEERI for several years. During this tenure, he contributed to numerous R&D and consultancy projects in Environmental Impact Assessment, rural technology, and biodiversity assessment. His extensive field experience during this phase significantly shaped his current research methodology.