Building Resilient Water and Food Systems Under Climate Change

Dr. Roshni Thendiyath is presently working as an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology Patna with nearly 13 years of successful track record in research areas related to climate change, water security, soft computing applications, hydrological modeling, and river hydraulics. She is a recipient of an Italian Ministry Scholarship for completing Doctoral studies. Dr. Roshni worked as an editor of six edited books, of which one edited book is by Elsevier Publishers and the other 5 edited books are by Springer Publishers. She has published more than 70 research papers in International Journals. Also, she is the reviewer of several International journal papers. She has collaborations with National and International researchers working in related fields. Dr. Roshni is a member of several national and international professional societies.

Dr. Maneesha Vinodini Ramesh, Provost of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, holds key roles in Strategic Initiatives, Research & Innovation, AI+X, and leads the School for Sustainable Futures and Amrita Center for Wireless Networks and Applications (AWNA). She earned her Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering, pioneering the world’s first AI-integrated IoT-based landslide early warning system, which secured a U.S. patent and placed her among the top 2% of scientists globally, as recognized by Stanford University. Dr. Ramesh has secured substantial research grants in areas like landslide detection, water sustainability, and heritage preservation. As Dean of International Programs, she has facilitated over 150 international collaborations. Her commitment to societal development is evident in her leadership of Live-in-Labs®, providing sustainable solutions to over 108 communities, and the Jivamritam project, which delivers clean drinking water to millions across India.

Dr. Pietz David is Regents Professor of Modern Chinese History and the UNESCO Chair in Environmental History at the University of Arizona. His research focuses on the environmental history of modern China with a particular focus on water management. Publications include The Yellow River: The Problem of Water in Modern China (Harvard), Engineering the State: The Huai River and Reconstruction in Nationalist China (Routledge), Water and Human Societies (co-editor, Palgrave), and State and Economy in Republican China (co-editor, Harvard). His current project, “Death and Life on the Yangzi: Extinction, Conservation, and Environmental China in Modern China,” is an exploration of continuity and change in notions of extinction, conservation, and biodiversity in China since 1949. His research has been supported by the Guggenheim Foundation, the Carnegie Foundation, the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mellon Foundation, the American Philosophical Society, and the Institute for Advanced Studies (Princeton).

Dr. Raji Pushpalatha is a faculty member at the Amrita School for Sustainable Futures, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. She holds a degree in Agricultural Engineering and a Doctorate in Hydrology, with a specialization in streamflow
hydrology. Her current research is centered on evaluating the impact of climate change on agriculture and water resources, while also exploring mitigation and adaptation strategies. A significant aspect of her work involves
implementing community-level interventions to promote sustainable food and water security in rural India. One of her notable contributions to sustainable food security has been the introduction of family farming models in rural communities across the adopted villages in India. Recently, she secured funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for a project aimed at improving nutritional security in rural communities in northeastern India.