Dr. Srinivas Kumar Tummala Appointed as New Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) – New Leadership for Oceanography, Tsunami Warning, and Climate Services
The Government of India has appointed Dr. Srinivas Kumar Tummala as the new Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES); his tenure will be for two years or until further orders. Dr. Tummala is an internationally renowned oceanographer with over 30 years of experience and is an expert in satellite oceanography, climate services, and disaster management. While serving as the Director of ESSO-INCOIS and Head of the Secretariat for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (IOTWMS) under UNESCO-IOC, he strengthened maritime disaster coordination among 28 nations. He played a pivotal role in developing the Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC) following the 2004 tsunami; today, it operates as a world-class Tsunami Service Provider (TSP) for the Indian Ocean region.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) of the Government of India has appointed Dr. Srinivas Kumar Tummala as the new Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). His tenure will last for two years from the date of assuming charge or until further orders, whichever is earlier. This appointment is considered significant for further strengthening India's capabilities in oceanography, meteorology, climate change, ocean resource management, and disaster early warning systems.
Profile of Dr. Srinivas Kumar Tummala
Dr. Tummala is an internationally acclaimed oceanographer and science administrator. He possesses over 30 years of experience in fields such as satellite oceanography, remote sensing, ocean observation systems, climate services, coastal disaster management, marine resource assessment, and disaster risk reduction.
Key Institutional and International Contributions
Dr. Tummala served as the Director of ESSO-INCOIS (Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services), Hyderabad, and led the Secretariat of the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (IOTWMS) under UNESCO-IOC. Under his leadership, tsunami preparedness and coordination were strengthened across 28 countries in the Indian Ocean region.
Contribution to India's Tsunami Warning System
Dr. Tummala played a pivotal role in the establishment and development of the Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC), set up in India following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Today, this centre is one of the most advanced tsunami warning systems globally and serves as a Tsunami Service Provider (TSP) for countries in the Indian Ocean region.
Institutional Facts for UPSC
The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) is the nodal ministry in India for major national initiatives such as weather forecasting, climate studies, oceanography, seismology, polar research, ocean resource development, and the Deep Ocean Mission. Important institutions such as IMD, INCOIS, NCMRWF, NIOT, NCCR, and the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) operate under its aegis.
