About

Professor Madan Kumar Jha obtained his B.Tech. (Agril. Engineering) degree from Rajendra Agricultural University, Bihar, India in 1990 and is the recipient of 'University Gold Medal’ for outstanding academic performance. He obtained his M.Eng. degree from Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Bangkok in 1992 availing full scholarship. He worked as a Research Associate (Sept 1992 to Aug 1993) at AIT, Bangkok. He obtained his PhD degree in 1996 from Ehime University, Japan availing Monbusho Scholarship and then worked as 'Water Resources Engineer' (Dec 1996-Nov 1997) at Panya Consultants Co. Ltd., Bangkok. He left this job when he was awarded prestigious “JSPS Research Fellowship” for postdoctoral research (Dec 1997-Nov 1999) in Japan. Being keenly interested in teaching, he returned to India after 10 years stay abroad when he was selected in absentia for the post of ‘Assistant Professor’ at IIT Kharagpur in May 1999. After completing his postdoctoral research, he joined IIT Kharagpur in December 1999. Present & Past Positions: Professor(HAG), IIT Kharagpur, 2016-Present; Chairman, Commercial Establishment & Licensing Committee, IIT Kharagpur, 2018-2021; Chairman, Kazi Nazrul, Community Center, IIT Kharagpur, 2018-2021; Water Resources Engineer, Panya Consultants Co. Ltd., Bangkok, 1996-1997; JSPS Research Fellow, Kochi University, Japan, 1997-1999; Assistant Professor, IIT Kharagpur, 1999-2004; Assistant Warden of B.C. Roy Hall of Residence, IIT Kharagpur, 2002-2004; Associate Professor, IIT Kharagpur, 2004-2010; Professor, IIT Kharagpur, 2010-2016; Prof.-in-Charge, Examination, IIT Kharagpur, 2013-2016; Vice-Chairman, GATE-JAM, IIT Kharagpur, 2017-2019; Chairman, GATE-JAM, IIT Kharagpur, 2019-2020. Publications: Prof. Jha has been featured as top 2% of the scientists across the globe in the field of “Environmental Engineering”, based on his research publication output in the year 2019, in a study carried out by Stanford University Analyst Group. To date, he has to his credit 5 books (1 textbook and 4 reference books), 22 book chapters, 118 publications in reputed international journals and 15 publications in national journals, 10 technical reports/bulletins, and 106 publications in international/national conference proceedings. Also, he has filed one patent on “Improved Design of Pumping System for Hand Pumps” and developed eight indigenous, cost-effective and user-friendly professional software (‘DSS-IWRM’, ‘GWARA’, ‘AquiferManager’, ‘RainHarvester’ ‘GA-AquiAnalyzer’, ‘DrainSolver’, ‘IrriScheduler’ and ‘SISCASDE’) which are copyrighted. Awards/Honors: Prof. Jha has been awarded several awards and salient international fellowships, which among others include 'Distinguished Services Award' in 2000, ‘ISTE National Award (First Prize)’ for the best M.Tech. Thesis supervision in 2003, international ‘AMA-Shin-Norinsha-AAAE Young Researcher Award’ in 2005, 'Shankar Memorial Award' in 2008, 'Commendation Medal' in 2013, two 'Outstanding Book Awards', several 'Best Paper Awards', ‘Smt Savitri Chadha Memorial INC-IAH Award for Excellence in Groundwater Science’ in 2020, and ‘Eminent Water Resources Scientist Award’ in 2021 as well as prestigious international fellowships viz., ‘JSPS Research Fellowship’ (1997-1999), ‘Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship’ (2004-2005), and ‘JSPS Invitation Fellowship’ (2009). Also, he has served as ‘Associate Editor’ of some reputed international journals such as “Hydrogeology Journal” (2012-2016), “Frontiers in Environmental Science” (2016-2020), “International Agricultural Engineering Journal” (2008-2012) as well as ‘Executive Editor-in-Chief’ of “International Agricultural Engineering Journal” (2012-2016). Currently, he is serving as ‘Editor’ of “Water Resources Research” since April 2021, and ‘Editorial Board Member’ of “Scientific Reports” since June 2018. Fellow & Membership: Fellow of NAAS (National Academy of Agricultural Sciences), New Delhi; Fellow of IEI (Institution of Engineers India); Fellow of IAH (Indian Association of Hydrologists); Fellow of IWRS (Indian Water Resources Society); and Fellow of ISAE (Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers). He is also a life member of several national professional bodies and a regular member of international associations such as IAH (U.K.), AGU (USA), IAHR (Spain), IAHS (U.K.), and EWRA (Greece). Research Areas: Groundwater Management; Basin-wide Simulation and Optimization Modeling; Inverse Modeling; Rainwater Harvesting & Artificial Recharge; Application of AI/ML and Hybrid Soft-Computing Techniques in Groundwater Hydrology; Groundwater-Surface Water Interaction; Conjunctive Use Planning and Management; Assessment of Groundwater Vulnerability and Pollution Risk; Seawater Intrusion and Tide-Aquifer Interaction; Application of Geospatial and MCDA Techniques for Integrated Planning and Management of Water Resources; Vadose-Zone Characterization and Modeling; and Climate Change Impacts on Surface Water and Groundwater Systems.

Career Type:

Scientist/Researcher/Academic

Organization Type:

Universities and Academia

Expertise Fields/Interests:

Groundwater Management(quantity and quality); Basin-wide Simulation and Optimization Modeling; Inverse Modeling; Rainwater Harvesting & Artificial Recharge; Application of AI/ML and Hybrid Soft-Computing Techniques in Groundwater Hydrology; Groundwater-Surface Water Interaction; Conjunctive Use Planning and Management; Assessment of Groundwater Vulnerability and Pollution Risk; Seawater Intrusion and Tide-Aquifer Interaction; Application of Geospatial and MCDA Techniques for Integrated Planning and Management of Water Resources; Vadose-Zone Characterization and Modeling; and Climate Change Impacts on Surface Water and Groundwater Systems.

Major Achievements:

Contributions that have created significant practical and/or academic impacts are as follows: • Pioneer in applying genetic algorithm (GA) technique for the estimation of aquifer and well parameters from pumping-test data as well as for the estimation of aquifer parameters from tide-aquifer interaction data (developed user-friendly software and published 4 papers in peer-reviewed international journals). It inspired international and national researchers/scientists to a greater extent. • Innovative research contributions in the areas of “Groundwater-Surface Water Interaction”, “Lithology Prediction by Hybrid AI/ML Techniques”, and “Resistivity Inversion by GA Technique” using real-world field data (published 7 papers so far in peer-reviewed international journals). • One of the few researchers of the world who firstly carried out research in the field of Groundwater Hydrology using Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML) techniques. To date, 17 papers are published. • Long-term and in-depth scientific studies using modern concepts and innovative tools/techniques (including process-based simulation modeling, data-driven modeling and optimization modeling) in nine study areas of India (viz., Balasore Basin, Kathajodi-Surua Inter-basin, Kushabhadra-Bhargavi River Basin, Baitarani Watershed, Sina River Basin, Udaipur District, Trichi District, West Medinipur District, and Damodar Canal Command) yielded efficient (scientifically sound) strategies and recommendations for the sustainable management of water resources in these areas located in diverse agro-climatic and hydrogeologic regions (published 42 papers to date in reputed peer-reviewed international journals). They are very useful to the water planners and practitioners for ensuring sustainability of existing water resources under changing environmental conditions. • Developed ‘Field Experimental Setup’ and ‘Methodology (Scientific Framework)’ for investigating flow and transport processes in vadose zones at a sub-basin or basin scale (published 8 papers so far in reputed peer-reviewed international journals), which provided sound scientific frameworks/guidelines for national and international researchers. • Developed technically sound and pragmatic approaches for integrated application of RS, GIS and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) techniques to the evaluation of groundwater potential and rainwater harvesting (RWH) potential, and the identification of suitable sites for RWH and artificial recharge structures at the basin or sub-basin scales under varying hydro-climatic and hydrogeologic conditions (published 13 papers so far in reputed peer-reviewed international journals). • Also, developed improved GIS-based MCDA frameworks for the comprehensive assessment of groundwater quality, and aquifer vulnerability and risk (published 6 papers so far in reputed peer-reviewed international journals). • One national patent for “Improved Design of Pumping System for Hand Pumps”, which is beneficial for the rural community of India in terms of reduction in human power requirement (published one paper in a peer-reviewed international journal). Also, developed eight user-friendly, indigenous and unique professional software packages viz., “RainHarvester”, “GWARA”, “AquiferManager”, “GA-AquiAnalyzer”, “DrainSolver”, “DSS-IWRM” “IrriScheduler”, and “SISCASDE” which offer useful computer tools for practicing hydrologists and hydrogeologists as well as for training and research. • In addition, excellent contributions to the profession by developing unique state-of-the-art “Groundwater Hydrology Laboratory” and “Groundwater Flow and Pollution Modeling Laboratory”, and modern “Field Water Management Laboratory” for quality teaching/research (UG and PG levels) and training in the fields of groundwater/surface water hydrology and vadose-zone hydrology. • To date, contributed 118 papers in peer-reviewed international journals, 15 papers in peer-reviewed national journals, and 106 papers in international and national conferences/seminars. Also, authored/co-authored 5 books published by popular foreign and Indian publishers as well as published 22 book chapters and 10 technical reports/bulletins. • Finally, pioneering research on real-world groundwater problems at doctoral and postdoctoral levels is also of great practical and academic significance. The results of these two long-term studies provided a sound technical basis for developing strategies for sustainable management of depleting groundwater resources in two river basins of Japan. Recommendations were made for the sustainable management of groundwater resources in these basins, including cost-effective techniques for artificial recharge and seawater intrusion. Subsequently, some of the suggested measures to augment groundwater resources and to control seawater intrusion were implemented by the concerned authorities (published 7 papers in peer-reviewed international journals).