Alumni

Dr Vishwanathan is currently an Associate Professor, Centre for Security Studies, Central Univ of Gujarat

Diwakar holds the position of “ISRO Chair Professor” at National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) and works on research projects related to space technology, particularly related to data processing from Earth Observation Satellites and Geospatial Technologies.

Prior to joining NIAS, he served for over three decades at Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and held several senior level positions and was responsible for developing many diverse applications of space technology to help the nation in its developmental activities.

Diwakar was awarded his PhD in “Participatory GIS: Participator Geomatics in process-based watershed development” from the National Institute of Technology (NITK), Surathkal, Karnataka and has significantly contributed in the area of geospatial technology and its use in wide variety of applications. He has extensively worked in the use of remote sensing and geospatial technology to bring about many applications of space technologies that are popularly being used in the country today. While he has contributed in many application areas of national importance, related to Land, Water, and Ocean, he was also responsible for a major WebGIS initiative in the country, such as, setting up of “Bhuvan Geoportal” for online geospatial services on natural resources management.

During his career in ISRO he has held many key positions, such as, Head-Regional Remote Sensing Service Centre, Bengaluru, Deputy Director, National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Director of Earth Observation System & Disaster Management Support Programme, and many others. He retired as Scientific Secretary, ISRO. Apart from this, he has also held key positions in representing ISRO in many international forums, to name a few, Committee of Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), Board member in International Charter “Space & Major Disasters”, Principle point of contact for UN-ESCAP.

M. Mayilvaganan, PhD is an Associate Professor at the International Strategic & Security Studies Programme (ISSSP), School of Conflict and Security Studies (SCSS), National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), in Bangalore, India, where he leads ISSSP’s work on Indo-Pacific, South and Southeast Asia, Borderland studies and foreign analysis of major powers. His research interests focus on political, strategic and security issues concerning India and its neighbourhood (South and Southeast Asia in particular), Indo-Pacific, foreign and security policies of China, the US, Japan and India, Northeast India Borderland and the Non-Traditional Security challenges. Also, he is currently a BOBP Fellow at the inter-governmental agency of FAO (UN).

Before joining NIAS, Mayil worked with the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur as a Visiting Senior Lecturer, where he taught South Asia in International Relations, Modern Warfare and International Politics; Associate Fellow at the Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA), New Delhi specialising on Sri Lanka and Research Associate at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS), New Delhi, focusing on Kashmir, among other professions. He also spent some time as a researcher in Canada and the US. He holds a PhD degree from the School of International Studies in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi in India.

K G Sreeja's thesis titled “Emergent non-agrarian livelihoods and resource linkages in the agroecosystems of a river basin: A case study of Chalakudy river basin, Kerala” has been awarded the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (Ph.D) by the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE).  He worked under the guidance of P.K. Shetty. 

Mr. S. Vignesh’s thesis titled Interactions of Consent: Human-Bovine Relations in Tamil Nadu has been evaluated and he is declared eligible for the Award of Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (Ph.D) by  the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE).  He worked under the guidance of Prof. Sindhu Radhakrishna.