Prof. Dr. Somnath Bandyopadhyay

Prof. Somnath Bandyopadhyay is an environmental scientist, development ecologist, and policy researcher with over three decades of experience in environmental governance, biodiversity conservation, river basin management, and sustainable development. He has worked across academia, government, civil society, and international development organizations, including Nalanda University, the National Mission for Clean Ganga, Gujarat Ecology Commission, Aga Khan Foundation, and Safe Water Network. As a founding faculty member at Nalanda University, he helped establish the School of Ecology and Environment Studies. His research integrates ecological science with public policy, focusing on biodiversity, wetlands, river systems, water governance, climate resilience, and community-based natural resource management.

Past Affiliations

• Associate Professor & Founding Faculty, Nalanda University
• Dean, School of Ecology and Environment Studies, Nalanda University
• Environment Management Consultant, National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)
• Chief Strategy Officer, Safe Water Network
• Senior Advisor, Centre for Civil Society
• Senior Programme Officer, Aga Khan Foundation
• Senior Ecologist & Nodal Officer, Gujarat Ecology Commission, Government of Gujarat
• Junior Research Fellow, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)

Educational Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University (1990-1994)
• M.Phil. in Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University (1988-1990)
• M.Sc. in Marine Science, University of Calcutta (1985-1987)
• B.Sc. in Zoology, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College (1981-1984)
• Certificate in Environmental Economics, Harvard University

Selected Publications:
Kumar, R., Sharma, P., & Bandyopadhyay, S. (2021). Evidence of microplastics in wetlands: Extraction and quantification in freshwater and coastal ecosystems. Journal of Water Process Engineering, 40, 101966. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2021.101966