Vijay Kumar Raina

Vijay Kumar Raina
NationalityKashmiri Pandit
Scientific career
FieldsGeology, Glaciology

Vijay Kumar Raina is an Indian geologist and glaciologist, and author of a controversial discussion paper from India's Ministry of Environment and Forests regarding Himalayan glaciers.[1] He was formerly deputy director-general of the Geological Survey of India, and led two scientific expeditions conducted by the Indian Antarctic Program.[1]

Career

In June 1958, Raina led the first Geological Survey of India expedition to the Siachen glacier.[2]

In the 1980s, Raina was the director general of the glaciology division at Geological Survey of India (GSI).[1]

Raina retired in 1991.[1]

Himalayan glacial melt controversy

See also: Retreat of glaciers since 1850 § Himalayas and Central Asia

On 10 July 2009, Raina visited the headquarters of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) along with 40 other scientists to hear a report on satellite images of Himalayan glaciers prepared by the Space Application Centre (SAC).[1]

On 4 August 2009, Raina submitted a paper outlining his dissent of the methodology of the SAC report and the claim that the Himalayan glaciers would disappear by 2035.[3][4] Based on 150 years of GSI data on 25 Indian glaciers, Raina concluded: "It is premature to make a statement that glaciers in the Himalayas are retreating abnormally because of the global warming."[3] Environment minister Jairam Ramesh released the report in November 2009.[1][5]

Rajendra K. Pachauri, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), disagreed with Raina's claims.

In 2022, Raina co-authored a report for the CATO Institute that claims the Himalayan glacial melt has been exaggerated.[6]

Works

Raina has contributed to over 100 scientific papers and three books.[7]

Raina is co-author of "Glacier Atlas of India" which is a collection of photographs and descriptions of glaciers.[8][9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "V K Raina: The Man Who Came In From The Cold". Forbes India. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  2. ^ Paul, Amit K. (2023-07-13). "The first GSI survey of the Siachen". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  3. ^ a b "Himalayan glaciers: a state-of-art review of glacial studies, glacial retreat and climate change - India Environment Portal | News, reports, documents, blogs, data, analysis on environment & development | India, South Asia". www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  4. ^ Aiyar, S. A. (2021-04-11). "View: Yes, glaciers are melting but no need for panic". The Economic Times. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  5. ^ Mukherjee, Krittivas (2010-01-18). "UN panel re-examines Himalayan glacier thaw report". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  6. ^ Swaminathan, S. Anklesaria Aiyar; Raina, Vijay K. (2022-05-03). "False Alarm over the Retreat of the Himalayan Glaciers (POLICY ANALYSIS NO. 927)". CATO Institute. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  7. ^ Dhar, Aarti (2010-01-21). "Raina demands apology for Pachauri's 'voodoo science' comment". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  8. ^ Raina, V.K.; Srivastava, Deepak (2008). Glacier Atlas of India. Geological society of India. ISBN 978-81-85867-80-9.
  9. ^ Braithwaite, Roger J. (2009). "V.K. Raina and D. Srivastava. 2008. Glacier atlas of India. Bangalore, Geological Society of India. 315pp. ISBN-13: 978-8-185-86780-9, hardback. US$120 (obtainable from http://www.vedamsbooks.com)". Journal of Glaciology. 55 (193): 938–938. doi:10.3189/002214309790152357. ISSN 0022-1430.


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