Dr. V. Thiruppugazh, IAS (Retd.)

Dr. V. Thiruppugazh is a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 1991 Gujarat cadre and a nationally recognised expert in disaster risk reduction, disaster recovery, and resilience planning. He has over three decades of experience in public administration, disaster governance, and institutional capacity building. He served as Additional Secretary (Policy & Plan) and Adviser at the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government of India, where he played a key role in formulating national disaster management policies, strengthening institutional frameworks, and leading post-disaster recovery initiatives. Earlier, he held several senior positions in the Government of Gujarat, including leadership roles at the Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA), contributing significantly to long-term reconstruction and recovery following major disasters. He also served on deputation in Nepal to support the Nepal Earthquake Recovery Programme. Following his retirement, he was appointed Chairperson of the Government of Tamil Nadu's Advisory Committee on Mitigation and Management of Flood Risk in Chennai.

Past Affiliations:

• Additional Secretary (Policy & Plan), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government of India
• Adviser, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government of India
• Joint Secretary (Policy & Plan), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government of India
• Joint Chief Executive Officer, Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA)
• Executive Director, Gujarat Institute of Disaster Management (GIDM)
• Officer, Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Gujarat Cadre (1991 Batch)
• Disaster Recovery Advisor, Nepal Earthquake Recovery Programme (Deputation)

Educational Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Disaster Management, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia, M.Sc. , B.Ed.

Selected Publications:
Thiruppugazh, V., & Kumar, S. (2009). Governance and Disaster Management. In H. M. (Ed.), Governance of Rural Information and Communication Technologies: Opportunities and Challenges (Vol. 1, pp. 115–128). Academic Foundation.