Khadg Singh (KS) Valdiya was an Indian geologist
and a former vice chancellor of
Kumaon University, known for his contributions in the field of
geodynamics.
A 2007 recipient of
Padma Shri
Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, ...
,
he was honoured again by the
Government of India
The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, c ...
in 2015 with
Padma Bhushan, the third highest Indian civilian award.
Biography
Internationally recognized for his path-breaking work in the fields of
Geology
Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Ear ...
and
Environmental Science
Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physics, biology, and geography (including ecology, chemistry, plant science, zoology, mineralogy, oceanography, limnology, soil science, geology and physical geograp ...
Prof. Valdiya was born to Dev Singh Valdiya and Nanda Valdiya on 20 March 1937 in
Myanmar
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...
. In 1947 his family returned to their hometown in
Pithoragarh in the Indian state of
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand ( , or ; , ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; the official name until 2007), is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the "Devbhumi" (literally 'Land of the Gods') due to its religious significance and ...
.
After schooling in Pithoragarh,
he did his bachelor (BSc), masters (MSc) and doctoral (PhD) studies at
Lucknow University and joined the university as a member of faculty in 1957.
A 1965–66
Fulbright
The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States Cultural Exchange Programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of ...
scholar at
Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins is the oldest research university in the United States and in the western hem ...
, he had also taught at
Rajasthan University
University of Rajasthan is a public and state university in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India and is one of the oldest universities in the state. It was set up on 8 January 1947 as the University of Rajputana and was given its current name in 1956.
...
,
Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology
Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun is an autonomous Natural Resources research institute for the study of Geology of the Himalaya under the Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of In ...
,
Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research
The Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) is a multidisciplinary research institute located at Jakkur, Bangalore, India. It was established by the Department of Science and Technology of the Government of India, to ...
(JNCASR) and
Kumaon University.
He was the vice chancellor of Kumaon University in 1981.
Valdiya had been involved with the establishment of such geological institutions as
Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology
Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun is an autonomous Natural Resources research institute for the study of Geology of the Himalaya under the Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of In ...
, Central Himalayan Environmental Association, Nainital, G. B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Almora, and the Geology Department of the
Kumaon University.
He is an elected fellow of
Indian National Science Academy,
National Academy of Sciences, India
The National Academy of Sciences, India, established in 1930, is the oldest science academy in India. It is located in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. Prof. Meghnad Saha was the founder president.
Fellows
*Suddhasatwa Basu
* Sudha Bhattacharya
* Ch ...
(FNASc),
Indian Academy of Sciences (FASc),
and the
Third World Academy of Sciences
The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) is a merit-based science academy established for developing countries, uniting 1,000 scientists in some 70 countries. Its principal aim is to promote scientific capacity and excellence for sustainable devel ...
(FTWAS)
and is a fellow of
Geological Society of India
The Geological Society of India is based in Bangalore, India. Its flagship product is the ''Journal of the Geological Society of India (JGSI)''.
Establishment
As declared in the ''JGSI'', the society was established on May 28, 1958, to promote th ...
,
Geological Society of America
The Geological Society of America (GSA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of the geosciences.
History
The society was founded in Ithaca, New York, in 1888 by Alexander Winchell, John J. Stevenson, Charles H. Hitchco ...
and Geological Society of Nepal.
He had served as a member of the Scientific Advisory Council to the
Prime Minister of India
The prime minister of India (IAST: ) is the head of government of the Republic of India. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and their chosen Council of Ministers, despite the president of India being the nominal head of the ...
.
He has written over 110 research papers, authored 22 books, edited 9 books and penned 40 articles in
Hindi
Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
towards popularization of science.
Field of Specialization
Tectonics
Tectonics (; ) are the processes that control the structure and properties of the Earth's crust and its evolution through time. These include the processes of mountain building, the growth and behavior of the strong, old cores of continents k ...
with special reference to
active faults.
Environmental Geology with special reference to natural hazards and geo-hydrology of springs.
Key Contributions
Geology
He has made significant
contributions to Himalayan Geology through a sustained and comprehensive study of the Kumaon Himalayas. These include pioneering studies of cyano-bacterial stromatolites leading to fixing of age of crucial stratigraphic horizons; systematic investigations of economically rich magnesite deposits; sedimentological and palaeocurrent study of the Precambrian flysch leading to reconstruction of palaeogeography of northern India; and the structural study of geodynamically sensitive areas leading to the tectonic synthesis and evolutionary history of the Himalayas.
Departing from mainstream thinking and pursuing independent lines,
K.S. Valdiya has contributed to Himalayan Geology through a sustained and comprehensive study of the Uttarakhand Himalayas. His internationally recognized works
are based on the painstaking mapping of mountainous terrain, traversing thousands of kilometers on foot. This body of work has made the Uttarakhand Himalayas one of the best documented, most thoroughly studied sectors of the Himalayan Mountain Arc.
He has provided highly original
scientific insights to the quintessential Continental Collision on the basis of his study of the dome-shaped Crustal upwarps in the immediate proximity of the zone of collision of India with Asia.
His recent work has focused on active faults and land-form development — landscape reshaping related to neo-tectonism. In addition, his studies on natural hazards like mass-movements and hydro-geology of mountain springs having great bearing on management of environment and planning for the ecological integrity of the mountains.
Environment & Social Development
His well-researched
scientific report on the destabilizing effect of limestone quarrying formed the principal basis of the Supreme Court banning limestone mining in the Mussourie Hills.
In a pioneering and benchmark
study on declining discharges of mountain springs, he developed the concept and methodology of spring sanctuary and demonstrated its workability by successfully augmenting the spring discharge in a catchment area of a multidisciplinary 10-year project on sustainable development. (The programme of spring sanctuary has been adopted in many areas in Uttarakhand).
Deeply an intimately involved in ecodevelopment through people’s participation such as the development of spring sanctuaries, afforestation in village panchayat lands, linkages of animal husbandry, horticulture and agriculture in 7 villages in Kumaun under the aegis of an NGO (Central Himalayan Environment Association)
Organization Development
KS Valdiya was intimately involved in the conceptualization, establishment and development of the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (now at Dehradun), the Central Himalayan Environment Association (Nainital), the G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development (Katarmal, Almora), and the Department of Geology in Kumaun University (Nainital).
Popularization of Science
For the last few years, KS Valdiya has been working on a Science Outreach Programme to popularize Science among young students, in the remote regions of Uttarakhand.
Along with leading teachers and specialists from various disciplines, he has been delivering and organizing lectures on the application of science, the avenues & opportunities for young minds, as well as offering career guidance to pre-university college students.
Books
He has written over 120 research papers,
authored 21 books , edited 9 books and penned 40 articles in Hindi towards popularization of science.
These include ''Geology of Kumaon Lesser Himalaya'' (1980),
''Aspects of Tectonics: Focus on South-central Asia'' (1984),
''Environmental Geology: Indian Context'' (1987),
''Dynamic Himalaya'' (1998),
''Himalaya: Emergence and Evolution'' (2001)
,''Kumaun Land and People'' (2001)
,''Saraswati, the River That Disappeared'' (2002),
''The Making of India: Geodynamic Evolution'' (2010),
and ''Ek Thi Nadi Saraswati'' (2010, in
Hindi
Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
).
, ''Geography, Peoples and Geodynamics of India in Puranas and Epics: A Geologist's Interpretations'' (2012),
''Prehistoric River Saraswati, Western India: Geological Appraisal and Social Aspects '' (2018),
''Neotectonism in the Indian Subcontinent: Landscape Evolution '' (2017)(Co-authored with Jaishri Sanwal)
His autobiography "पथरीली पगडंडियों पर" was published by PAHAR in 2015.
In year 2017, He wrote a biography of famous environmentalist and Chipko leader Padma Vibhushan
Sunderlal Bahuguna
Sunderlal Bahuguna Ji (9 January 1927 – 21 May 2021) was an Indian environmentalist and Chipko movement leader. The idea of the Chipko movement was suggested by his wife and him. He fought for the preservation of forests in the Himalayas, fir ...
named ‘हिमालय में महात्मा गांधी के सिपाही सुंदरलाल बहुगुणा’ published by Sasta Sahitya Mandal
(सस्ता साहित्य मण्डल)
See also
* Geodynamics
* Neotectonics
* Sedimentology
Sedimentology encompasses the study of modern sediments such as sand, silt, and clay, and the processes that result in their formation (erosion and weathering), transport, deposition and diagenesis. Sedimentologists apply their understanding of mo ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Valdiya, Khadg Singh
Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in science & engineering
Recipients of the Padma Shri in science & engineering
Indian geologists
Living people
1937 births
Indian endocrinologists
Recipients of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology
Recipients of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean & Planetary Sciences
People from Pithoragarh
Medical doctors from Uttarakhand
20th-century Indian medical doctors
Sarasvati River