Karthikeyan Lanka Selected for National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI) Young Scientist Award 2026

Key facts

• Karthikeyan Lanka, Associate Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay's Centre of Studies in Resources Engineering (CSRE) and Centre for Climate Studies, was selected for the National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI) Young Scientist Platinum Jubilee Award 2026 in the Earth Sciences category.
• The announcement was made on 6 August 2026, and Prof. Lanka is one of the 10 recipients of the NASI Young Scientist Award 2026.
• The award recognises his contributions to satellite remote sensing, hydrological research, and practical solutions for sustainable agriculture and water resource management.
• The award includes a medal, citation, and cash prize of ₹25,000, and is presented during NASI's Annual General Meeting.
• His group developed one of India's first operational subseasonal agricultural drought forecasting systems with the Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre (MNCFC), providing weekly forecasts across India at 9 km resolution with lead times of up to four weeks.
• He joined IIT Bombay as Assistant Professor in January 2019 and was promoted to Associate Professor in February 2025.