Cyclone Man of India: Mrutyunjay Mohapatra Honored with Sir Gilbert Walker Award

Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, the Director General of the India Meteorological Department, has been awarded the Sir Gilbert Walker Award 2025 for his contributions to meteorology. Known as the 'cyclone man of India', he modernized cyclone warning systems, significantly improving forecast accuracy and preparedness. The award recognizes his lifetime achievements in meteorological science.

Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), has been honored with the Sir Gilbert Walker Award 2025 by the Indian Meteorological Society (IMS). The prestigious accolade, named the Sir Gilbert Walker Gold Medal, celebrates his groundbreaking contributions to meteorology, emphasizing the advancement of weather forecasting and severe weather warning systems.

The IMD, in a statement issued Tuesday, highlighted Mohapatra's extensive work in discovering new atmospheric phenomena and his enhancement of scientific understanding in the field. His modernizing efforts in India's cyclone warning system have earned him the nickname 'cyclone man of India', significantly boosting forecast accuracy and preparedness in cyclone-prone areas.

Mohapatra, who began his career at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and later joined the IMD in 1992, currently holds the position of Third Vice President at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and serves as the Secretary of the WMO–UNESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones. His initiatives include developing decision-support tools, impact-based forecasting, and multi-hazard alerts, contributing immensely to meteorological advancements and services that benefit society.

(With inputs from agencies.)