Associate Professor
Mumbai Campus,
Centre for Disaster Management,
Jamsetji Tata School of Disaster Studies
Qualification
Dr. - Ing (Technische Universität, Berlin)
PGDFM (Indian Institute Of forest Management, Bhopal)
M.Sc. in Economics (University Of Calcutta)
Contact
nirmalya.choudhury[at]tiss[dot]ac[dot]in
Personal: nirmalya1511@gmail.com
In the last decade and a half, I have worked with nongovernmental organizations, research organizations, policy think tanks and academic institutes on issues related to natural resource management, water management, rural livelihoods, decentralization, and sustainable hydropower development.
In the last years, I have been studying the interface of disaster and development largely by looking into the myriad developmental challenges in the recurrent flood prone areas in the Ganga-Brahmaputra (G-B) basin. My reserach engagement on this issue has been through the lens of governance, vulnerability and understanding rural realities in the riverine and the river island (char) areas of the G-B basin.
My research interest includes disaster-development interface, poltics and development action in the disaster prone areas, socio-economic vulnerability analysis and water governance,. Thematically my research interest hovers around floods, river bank erosion, participatory irrigation management and rural livelihoods.
I am interested in emperical research. In the past, I have generously borrowed tools and techniques from quantitative and qualitative research which would explain and understand a problem (and look for solutions/change) in its totality.
Research Interest: Disaster-development interface, Poltics and development action in the disaster prone areas,Socio-economic vulnerability analysis, Decentarlisation and Water governance,
Thematically my research interest hovers around: Floods, Socio-economic effects of River bank erosion, Participatory irrigation managementand Rural livelihoods.
Journal Publications:
Choudhury N. 2015. Public involvement in hydropower projects and follow-up of the environment impact assessment in India. UVP-report 29 (1): 10-13. ISSN number: 0933-0690.
Choudhury N. 2013. Legality and legitimacy of public involvement in infrastructure planning: observations from hydropower projects in India, Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, DOI: 10.1080/09640568.2012.743879. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2012.743879
Book Chapters:
Choudhury N. 2017. The Water Warrior of North Bihar, in Phansalkar S and Kanitkar A. (eds.) Gems of Purest Ray Serene – Glimpse into Lives and Work of India’s Outstanding Social Workers. Samakaleen Prakashan (ISBN: 978-93-86622-37-2), pp.72-82.
Kanitkar A. and Choudhury N. 2017. A Long Voyage with Small Fishermen, in Phansalkar S and Kanitkar A. (eds.) Gems of Purest Ray Serene – Glimpse into Lives and Work of India’s Outstanding Social Workers. Samakaleen Prakashan (ISBN: 978-93-86622-37-2), pp.233-243.
Popular Article/Op-Ed:
Choudhury N. (2022). How we can have disaster-free floods. Indian Express. https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/how-we-can-have-disaster-free-floods-8044624/
Choudhury N. (2017). Living with the Deluge. Indian Express. http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/living-with-the-deluge-northeast-flood-4798615/
Choudhury N. (2017). Managing Embankments. The Hindu. http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/managing-embankments/article19589199.ece
In the past I was associated with a research project on Strengthening Water User Associations in Maharashtra - a research project that was supported by Directorate of Irrigation Research and Development, Water Resources Department, Government of Maharashtra.
I am currently involved in the following courses:
Earth System Science and Hazards
Introduction to Ecosystem, Habitat, and Sustainability