Attachments
Dear Reader!
If early warning is of interest to you in your work, research, policy, and local action, read this issue.
To celebrate 150 years of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), this Southasiadisasters.net has been jointly developed by the All India Disaster Mitigation Institute (AIDMI) and IMD. It highlights IMD’s transformative journey from traditional weather forecasting to advanced early warning systems that are saving lives and livelihoods at the frontiers of early warning.
Titled “Celebrating 150 Years of IMD: Frontiers for Early Warning”, this issue brings together the senior-most expert voices on key climate risks—heatwaves, cyclones, floods—and explores how IMD’s evolving role supports anticipatory action across India and South Asia.
This edition emphasises bold, people-centred solutions to ensure that early warning systems are inclusive, equitable, and truly leave no one behind.
Tell us what you wish to learn, and subscribe [https://aidmi.org/signup/] to stay informed about cutting-edge disaster mitigation, climate resilience strategies, and AIDMI’s work across South Asia. Join AIDMI’s dynamic learning network through roundtables, knowledge co-creation, and practical case studies that shape policy and action on the ground.
Sincerely,
Mihir R. Bhatt
In This Issue:
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Introduction
Dr. M. Mohapatra, Director General of Meteorology, India Meteorological Department, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India
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India Meteorological Department and Tropical Cyclones: Key Achievements and Agenda
Cyrille Honoré, Director of Disaster Risk Reduction and Public Services Branch, WMO, Geneva, Switzerland
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Indian Early Warning System: A Model for the World
Sanjay Agrawal, Dy Director General, Disaster Management, Ministry of Communications, Government of India, New Delhi, India
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Local Action, Global Reach: Forging a Resilient Future Against the Silent Scourge of Extreme Heat
Jagan Chapagain, Chief Executive Officer and Secretary General of the IFRC, Geneva, Switzerland
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Flood Forecasting in India: Journey from 1958
Sharad Chandra, Commissioner (Flood Management) and Rajesh Kumar, Sr. Joint Commissioner (Flood Management), Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, New Delhi, India
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Weather Services for the Power Sector: Key Achievements and Opportunities
Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Power, Government of India
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How to Make Heatwave Early Warning More Effective? Key Action Areas
K. S. Hosalikar, Former Head, Surface Instrument Div, IMD Pune; Rajib Chattopadhyay, IITM Pune; and Annanya Karmakar, CRS, IMD Pune, India
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Evolution of Meteorological Services in India and Future Scenario
Dr. Ranjan Kelkar, Former Director General, India Meteorological Department, Pune, India
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Space Technology for Weather Services: An Essential Component
Dr. Prem Shankar Goel, Former Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, India
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IMD in South Asia: A View from Myanmar
Dr. Kyaw Moe Oo, Director General, Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, Myanmar
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Pathways on Numerical Weather Prediction for Weather Services in India
Dr. U. C. Mohanty, Distinguished Professor, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan (Deemed to be University), Bhubaneswar, India
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Extreme Heat Early Warning and Anticipatory Actions for Women-Led Small Businesses in Cities of India
Pallavi Rathod, Vaishali Tiwari, and Grace George of AIDMI, India
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Strengthening Early Warning Systems for the Next Generation
Mihir R. Bhatt, All India Disaster Mitigation Institute (AIDMI), India