डॉ . प्रभातकुमार जैन
सदस्य, भूजल
INTRODUCTION
Dr. Prabhat Kumar Jain, born in December 1961, embarked on his academic journey by obtaining a Master of Technology (M.Tech) degree in Applied Geology from the University of Sagar (Madhya Pradesh) in 1983. He furthered his expertise by earning a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Hydrogeology from Visvesvaraya Regional College of Engineering (VRCE), Nagpur University (Maharashtra) in 2005. His professional career commenced as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Geology at the University of Sagar. He then joined the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) through the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Batch 1985. Over the next three and a half decades, he served in various capacities, demonstrating his versatility and dedication to his field. His illustrious career culminated in his retirement as Regional Director in December 2021, marking approximately 35 years of services. He possesses over 35 years of extensive experience and expertise in:
- Hydrogeological surveys, investigations, mapping, and data generation.
- Managing projects on water supply investigation and source sustainability.
- Implementing artificial recharge projects to augment groundwater reservoirs.
- Conceptualizing, designing, and preparing project proposals, as well as formulating and implementing strategies.
- Scrutinizing project proposals and monitoring progress.
- Collaborating with state governments to implement Central Sector Schemes and representing CGWB on various Central and State-level committees.
- Conducting mass awareness programs on water conservation and resource management to educate the public and end-users.
- Organizing training sessions for capacity building at various levels.
- Coordinating seminars, symposia, workshops, brainstorming sessions, and meetings to formulate management plans and strategies.
Dr. Prabhat Kumar Jain has received extensive national and international training on various aspects of groundwater management, including:
- Application of GEMS, organized by RGI CGWB under the World Bank-assisted Hydrology Project in Ahmedabad
- Isotopes and Chemical Techniques in Ground Water Hydrology, conducted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Austria, at BARC, under the United Nations Development Programme, focusing on access to safe drinking water
- Hydrogeophysical methods for mapping aquifers, Aarhus Workbench, organized at NGRI by Aarhus University, Denmark
- Water Resources Management in Rural Areas and Integrated Water Resources Management on Irrigation and Drainage (A), organised by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan
- Administrative Training for Senior Officers of CGWB, held at IIPM, New Delhi
- Leadership Development Programme, at IIM, Ahmedabad
- Mentoring Skills, organized by RGI, CGWB, in Raipur
Dr. Jain has had the privilege of representing India on a 4-members delegation to Australia, led by the Secretary of MoWR, RD & GR, Government of India, to attend the Indian-Australian Joint Working Group Meeting.
His literary contributions as scientists in CGWB include authoring seminal works such as: Hydrogeology of Maharashtra, Hydrogeological Atlas of Maharashtra, Master Plan for Artificial Recharge in Maharashtra State, Pilot Project on Aquifer Mapping etc. besides hundreds of useful scientific and technical reports. Under his supervision the “National Aquifer Mapping Program” a flagship program of the Ministry of Jalshakti , Govt of India was undertaken in the state of Maharashtra and the UT of D&NH.
Dr. Jain’s extensive research has focused on addressing the Inland Salinity Problem of Purna Alluvial Basin in Maharashtra, culminating in a comprehensive Action Plan on Remedial Measures. He has also made significant strides in mitigating water scarcity in Maharashtra through artificial recharge.
Notably, he played a pivotal role in scrutinizing the feasibility report and Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the groundbreaking Mega Recharge Project in Tapi Alluvial basin, a pioneering initiative in India valued at approximately Rs 5,000 crores.
Under his guidance, a pioneering Heli-born geophysical survey (SkyTEM) for groundwater exploration was conducted in Nagpur district in 2013, a first-of-its-kind endeavor in the state.
Dr. Prabhat Kumar Jain has an impressive portfolio of technical papers, published and presented in numerous national and international seminars, workshops, symposia, and esteemed journals. In addition to his research contributions, he has also edited and authored books, includes “Sedimentary Rocks and Aquifers: New Insights” (Intech Open, London, 2023), “Bhujal Manthan” (CGWB, CR, Nagpur, 2018), and “Jalyogi” (Madhyma Prakashan Nagpur in Hindi, 2023) beside several seminar, symposia, conference volumes.
Dr. Jain is a distinguished life fellow of many prestigious institutions, such as Indian Water Resources Society (IWRS), Indian Water Works Association (IWWA), Gondwana Geological Society (GGS), and Indian Association of Hydrologists (IAH). He has also held esteemed positions, such as Honorary Secretary and Chairman of IWRS, Nagpur Centre, and currently serves as Vice Chairman of IWWA, Nagpur Centre. In these roles, he has organized various national and international workshops, seminars, conferences, and symposia, as well as delivered numerous popular lecture series.
Dr. Jain’s outstanding contributions have been recognized with many awards, including the prestigious “Jal Seva” Award from IWWA (2016-17), Best Lecture Award (2018-19), and Linga Raja Das Memorial Trophy (2019-20) from IWWA.
