Group Head
Dr. Somenath Dutta, Scientist-G (Retd.), India Meteorological Department
Present Work:
Program Manager, DESK-IITM
Dr. Somenath Dutta, a distinguished Scientist‑G retired from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), has had a multifaceted career spanning operational meteorology, research, training, and academic engagement. He held several senior leadership roles within IMD, notably serving as Head of the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Kolkata, where he oversaw regional forecasting operations, administrative functions, and dissemination of weather services.
One of his most significant contributions has been in meteorological education and capacity building. Dr. Dutta served for over a decade as the Head of the Meteorological Training Institute (MTI) in Pune, which is IMD’s primary centre for professional training in atmospheric sciences. In this role, he led teams of specialists, developed training curricula aligned with World Meteorological Organization (WMO) standards, and organized both long‑term and short‑term training programmes for meteorologists, defence personnel, and various government stakeholders. His work strengthened the human resource base in meteorology across India and internationally through WMO‑recognized programmes.
Dr. Dutta has also been an active researcher in atmospheric dynamics and climatology. His publications include studies on cyclogenesis, atmospheric energetics, mountain wave dynamics, and rainfall variability in India. He contributed to interdisciplinary work as well, including climate‑health linkages such as studies on vector‑borne diseases influenced by meteorological parameters. His research output, reflected in multiple peer‑reviewed publications and citations, has added valuable knowledge to applied meteorology and climate science.
In addition to his institutional responsibilities, Dr. Dutta has been deeply involved in academic outreach and collaborations. He delivered lectures and webinars on weather forecasting and atmospheric science, contributing to professional education and public awareness. Post‑retirement, he continues to engage as a visiting faculty member at Savitribai Phule Pune University, teaching advanced topics such as numerical weather prediction and atmospheric energetics
Present Work:
Program Manager, DESK-IITM
Dr. Somenath Dutta, a distinguished Scientist‑G retired from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), has had a multifaceted career spanning operational meteorology, research, training, and academic engagement. He held several senior leadership roles within IMD, notably serving as Head of the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Kolkata, where he oversaw regional forecasting operations, administrative functions, and dissemination of weather services.
One of his most significant contributions has been in meteorological education and capacity building. Dr. Dutta served for over a decade as the Head of the Meteorological Training Institute (MTI) in Pune, which is IMD’s primary centre for professional training in atmospheric sciences. In this role, he led teams of specialists, developed training curricula aligned with World Meteorological Organization (WMO) standards, and organized both long‑term and short‑term training programmes for meteorologists, defence personnel, and various government stakeholders. His work strengthened the human resource base in meteorology across India and internationally through WMO‑recognized programmes.
Dr. Dutta has also been an active researcher in atmospheric dynamics and climatology. His publications include studies on cyclogenesis, atmospheric energetics, mountain wave dynamics, and rainfall variability in India. He contributed to interdisciplinary work as well, including climate‑health linkages such as studies on vector‑borne diseases influenced by meteorological parameters. His research output, reflected in multiple peer‑reviewed publications and citations, has added valuable knowledge to applied meteorology and climate science.
In addition to his institutional responsibilities, Dr. Dutta has been deeply involved in academic outreach and collaborations. He delivered lectures and webinars on weather forecasting and atmospheric science, contributing to professional education and public awareness. Post‑retirement, he continues to engage as a visiting faculty member at Savitribai Phule Pune University, teaching advanced topics such as numerical weather prediction and atmospheric energetics
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