Date: Sep 15, 2022
The International Association of Geomorphologists (IAG) on Friday elected Prof. Sunil Kumar De of Department of Geography, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong as its 9th President. His contestant was Prof. Susan Conway from the United Kingdom. It was a close contest. Out of 41 valid countries Prof. De has bagged the support of 21 countries. The election was held on 15th September, 2022 in the University of Coimbra, Portugal during the 10th International Conference on Geomorphology. He is elected as the President of the IAG for the first time not only from India, but also from Asia. Prof. De has replaced Prof. Mauro Soldati of the University of Modena, Italy, who is widely known for his scientific research on the Impact of climate change on landslide. Prof. De is specialized on Environmental Geomorphology, Geomorphological Hazards and River Health. He was the Co-chairman of the International (IAG) Working Group on Geomorphological Hazards. Prof. De has been sincerely promoting Indian Geomorphology on International Platform since 2001 and he has also been promoting Indian Young Geomorphologists internationally.
In the discipline of Geography, Prof. S. P. Chatterjee was elected as the President of the International Geographical Union (IGU) in the year 1968. It took 58 years for India to get this highest post in an allied organization. After that Prof. Md. Shafi of Aligarh Muslim University and Prof. R. B. Singh of Delhi University became the Vice Presidents of the IGU.
The IAG is the premier international organisation of professional geomorphologists of the world and is dedicated to improving and propagating the research in geomorphology. It was established in 1985 in Manchester, UK with Prof. Denys Brunsden as its first President. The official Objective of the IAG as stated in its various publications and its website (www.geomorph.org) is the development and promotion of geomorphology as a science through international co-operation and dissemination of knowledge of geomorphology. At present, 61 countries are affiliated to the IAG through their National Scientific Members.
Prof. De is also the Secretary of Foreign Matters of the Indian Institute of Geomorphologists (IGI), a research organisation founded and having its headquarter in the Department of Geography, University of Allahabad. The Indian Institute of Geomorphologists (IG) was founded by Prof. Savindra Singh with the help of many Senior Geomorphologists of the Country. Prof. De has also founded the Indian Institute of Geomorphologists Young Geomorphologists Forum (IGI-YGF) in 2018 which is treated as the most active group in the World outside Europe.
Prof. P. S. Sukla, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor of the North-Eastern Hill University, Prof. Sunando Bandyopadhyay of the Department of Geography as the President and Prof Azizur Rahman Siddiqui of the Department of Geography, University of Allahabad as the Secretary General of Indian Institute of Geomorphologists have extended their good wishes to Prof De on this historic occasion and congratulated him as India’s first President of the IAG.
This is important for NEHU that Prof. De has been election in this position in the Golden Jubilee Year of NEHU.
2024, North-Eastern Hill University
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