U. Aswathanarayana
Encyclopedia
Uppugunduri Aswathanarayana (born 1928) is the Honorary Director of the Mahadevan International Centre for Water Resources Management, India. He is counted among the doyens of geology in independent India
and is revered as a leading scientist from Andhra Pradesh
. He studied / taught geology
in Andhra University
, India; California Institute of Technology
, Pasadena, California
; Oxford University, United Kingdom
, University of Western Ontario
, Canada
; University of Sagar
, India; University of Dar es Salaam
, Tanzania
and Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Mozambique
. He has served as the Dean and Director of Centre of Advanced Study in Geology, University of Sagar, India; Head of Department of Geology, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Director, State Mining Corporation, Tanzania and Adviser on Environment and Technology, Mozambique. He also served as Consultant to UNDP, World Bank
, Louis Berger Inc., and SIDA
, while in Mozambique.
when he reached the examination hall 30 minutes late, as he had to walk barefoot in the hot sun to reach the examination hall which was far away. He actually scored 100% marks in mathematics and set up a record for aggregate marks in the examination. Despite his meritorious performance in the high school, he almost gave up the idea of going to college because his parents could not afford it. Ultimately his mother had to sell whatever jewels she had to send him to college and then to university after a gap of time.
It was the vision of his mentor, Prof. C. Mahadevan of Andhra University, that launched him on his doctoral studies in what later came to be known as nuclear geology
. Geology in those days was just hammer and hand lens affair. He did doctoral research in radioactivity studies using the equipment that he built himself with the help of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
, Mumbai
. It was the first doctoral thesis on nuclear geology in India, and was examined by Arthur Holmes
, F.R.S. of UK, J. Tuzo Wilson, F.R.S., of Canada, and Louis Ahrens then at Oxford. Later he did post-doctoral work on lead isotopes with Clair Patterson in Caltech in 1957, and Rb - Sr
and K - Ar
dating
with S. Moorbath in Oxford, England, in 1963.
National Fellow, India (1976–79); UGC National Lecturer, India and UNIDO Consultant on Non-Metallic Minerals, Vienna
(1988).
, convinced him of the need to switch to the application of geoscience to human welfare. Using geochemical and isotopic
tools, he and his Tanzanian and Finnish associates could identify the pathways of geoenvironment-induced endemicity of diseases, such as fluorosis
, stomach cancer
and goiter. His most significant contribution to the advancement of science lay in the original way he did high - quality science in the process of developing paradigms for improving the quality of life of the ordinary people in Africa. Thus, his work entitled “Innovative use of people-participatory technologies for poverty alleviation and improvement of the quality of life in Chamanculo, a slum area near Maputo
, Mozambique” has been chosen by the Third World Network of Scientific Organizations (now Consortium on Science, Technology and Innovation for the South), Trieste
, Italy
and UNDP, New York
, as an outstanding example of “Innovation in Development in the Third World”.
. The purpose of the Centre is to serve as a clearinghouse for water sciences
and technologies in the developing countries. It is modeled after the Abdus Salam
ICTP, Trieste
, Italy
, in its ethos, and mode of functioning. Like ICTP, the Mahadevan Centre offers a series of customized courses for the water scientists, technologists and managers from the developing countries.
International Award ( 2007) of the American Geophysical Union
Certificate of Recognition (2007) of the International Association of GeoChemistry
;
and Eminent Citizen Award in the area of Water Sciences of the Sivananda Trust, India (2007). He is a recipient of the fellowships from UNIDO (1989) and United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs
(1989).
(1976–1979), Chairman, Working Group on Isotope Geochemistry of IAGC(1979–1983), Leader, IAVCEI W.G. on Deccan Volcanism (1979–83) and Chairman of the Working Group on “Geochemical Training in Developing Countries” of the International Association of Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry (1996–2008). He was UNESCO Expert affiliated to the Institute for Trace Element Research, Lyon
, France
(1991).
The Geological Society of India, Bangalore, has brought out his popular science booklet, “Natural Resources and Environment,”(2003) which has been translated into Indian languages. Advances in Water Science Methodologies (2005), The Indian Ocean Tsunami(2006), Food and Water Security (2008), “Energy Portfolios” (2009) are some of his recent books. His most recent book, Green Energy: Technology, Economics and Policy, is published by Taylor & Francis
of the UK.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and is revered as a leading scientist from Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
. He studied / taught geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
in Andhra University
Andhra University
Andhra University or Andhra Viswa Kala Parishad , located in Visakhapatnam, north east coastal Andhra Pradesh, is one of the older premier universities in India with a broad focus...
, India; California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
, Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
; Oxford University, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, University of Western Ontario
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
; University of Sagar
University of Sagar
Dr. Hari Singh Gour University |Central University]] in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, India. It was founded Sir Hari Singh Gour on 18 July 1946, during the British Raj and is the oldest university in the state.-Campus:...
, India; University of Dar es Salaam
University of Dar es Salaam
The University of Dar es Salaam is a university in the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam. The university was born out of a decision taken in 1970 to split the then University of East Africa into three independent universities; Makerere University , University of Nairobi and University of Dar es...
, Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
and Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
. He has served as the Dean and Director of Centre of Advanced Study in Geology, University of Sagar, India; Head of Department of Geology, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Director, State Mining Corporation, Tanzania and Adviser on Environment and Technology, Mozambique. He also served as Consultant to UNDP, World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
, Louis Berger Inc., and SIDA
Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency
The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency is a government agency of the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Sida is responsible for organization of the bulk of Sweden's official development assistance to developing countries....
, while in Mozambique.
Education
Aswathanarayana had a difficult childhood because of poverty. He was a student of the Municipal High School, Ongole, Andhra Pradesh, India. He nearly missed the mathematics examination in the Secondary School Leaving Certificate of the then Madras PresidencyMadras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
when he reached the examination hall 30 minutes late, as he had to walk barefoot in the hot sun to reach the examination hall which was far away. He actually scored 100% marks in mathematics and set up a record for aggregate marks in the examination. Despite his meritorious performance in the high school, he almost gave up the idea of going to college because his parents could not afford it. Ultimately his mother had to sell whatever jewels she had to send him to college and then to university after a gap of time.
It was the vision of his mentor, Prof. C. Mahadevan of Andhra University, that launched him on his doctoral studies in what later came to be known as nuclear geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
. Geology in those days was just hammer and hand lens affair. He did doctoral research in radioactivity studies using the equipment that he built himself with the help of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research is a research institution in India dedicated to basic research in mathematics and the sciences. It is a Deemed University and works under the umbrella of the Department of Atomic Energy of the Government of India. It is located at Navy Nagar, Colaba, Mumbai...
, Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. It was the first doctoral thesis on nuclear geology in India, and was examined by Arthur Holmes
Arthur Holmes
Arthur Holmes was a British geologist. As a child he lived in Low Fell, Gateshead and attended the Gateshead Higher Grade School .-Age of the earth:...
, F.R.S. of UK, J. Tuzo Wilson, F.R.S., of Canada, and Louis Ahrens then at Oxford. Later he did post-doctoral work on lead isotopes with Clair Patterson in Caltech in 1957, and Rb - Sr
Rubidium-strontium dating
The rubidium-strontium dating method is a radiometric dating technique that geologists use to determine the age of rocks.Development of this process was aided by Fritz Strassmann, who later went on to discover nuclear fission with Otto Hahn and Lise Meitner....
and K - Ar
Potassium-argon dating
Potassium–argon dating or K–Ar dating is a radiometric dating method used in geochronology and archeology. It is based on measurement of the product of the radioactive decay of an isotope of potassium into argon . Potassium is a common element found in many materials, such as micas, clay minerals,...
dating
Radiometric dating
Radiometric dating is a technique used to date materials such as rocks, usually based on a comparison between the observed abundance of a naturally occurring radioactive isotope and its decay products, using known decay rates...
with S. Moorbath in Oxford, England, in 1963.
Career
In the course of a career of teaching, research and institutional capacity building spanning more than half a century, Aswathanarayana has been associated with Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, India, which was his alma mater; California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA; Oxford University, Oxford, England; University of Western Ontario, London, Canada; University of Saugar, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, India; University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique. He has served as the Dean and Director of Centre of Advanced Study in Geology, University of Sagar; Head of Department of Geology, University of Dar es Salaam; Director, State Mining Corporation, Tanzania and Adviser on Environment and Technology, Mozambique. He also served as Consultant to UNDP, World Bank, Louis Berger Inc., and SIDA, while in Mozambique. He was a UGCUGC
UGC is the second largest cinema operator in Europe with, as of August 2005, 49 sites and 553 screens across four countries:* France: 37 cinemas, 357 screens* Spain: 5 cinemas, 88 screens* Belgium: 3 cinemas, 43 screens* Italy: 4 cinemas, 66 screens...
National Fellow, India (1976–79); UGC National Lecturer, India and UNIDO Consultant on Non-Metallic Minerals, Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
(1988).
Geoscience and social welfare
Aswathanarayana's exposure to the extremely serious human problems endemic in AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, convinced him of the need to switch to the application of geoscience to human welfare. Using geochemical and isotopic
Isotopic
The word isotopic has a number of different meanings, including:* In the physical sciences, to do with chemical isotopes;* In mathematics, to do with a relation called isotopy.* In geometry, isotopic refers to facet-transitivity....
tools, he and his Tanzanian and Finnish associates could identify the pathways of geoenvironment-induced endemicity of diseases, such as fluorosis
Fluorosis
Fluorosis can refer to:* Dental fluorosis* Skeletal fluorosisSkeletal fluorosis can be caused by: Cryolite ....
, stomach cancer
Stomach cancer
Gastric cancer, commonly referred to as stomach cancer, can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs; particularly the esophagus, lungs, lymph nodes, and the liver...
and goiter. His most significant contribution to the advancement of science lay in the original way he did high - quality science in the process of developing paradigms for improving the quality of life of the ordinary people in Africa. Thus, his work entitled “Innovative use of people-participatory technologies for poverty alleviation and improvement of the quality of life in Chamanculo, a slum area near Maputo
Maputo
Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its...
, Mozambique” has been chosen by the Third World Network of Scientific Organizations (now Consortium on Science, Technology and Innovation for the South), Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and UNDP, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, as an outstanding example of “Innovation in Development in the Third World”.
Mahadevan International Centre for Water Resources Management
After returning to India, he got instituted the Mahadevan International Centre for Water Resources Management of which he has been the Founder and Honorary Director. The Centre was formally instituted on May 6, 2001, with the cooperation of Prof. G.O.P. Obasi, the then Secretary General, WMO, GenevaGeneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
. The purpose of the Centre is to serve as a clearinghouse for water sciences
Hydrology
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
and technologies in the developing countries. It is modeled after the Abdus Salam
Abdus Salam
Mohammad Abdus Salam, NI, SPk Mohammad Abdus Salam, NI, SPk Mohammad Abdus Salam, NI, SPk (Urdu: محمد عبد السلام, pronounced , (January 29, 1926– November 21, 1996) was a Pakistani theoretical physicist and Nobel laureate in Physics for his work on the electroweak unification of the...
ICTP, Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, in its ethos, and mode of functioning. Like ICTP, the Mahadevan Centre offers a series of customized courses for the water scientists, technologists and managers from the developing countries.
Honours and awards
Aswathanarayana is recipient of the Excellence in Geophysical Education Award (2005;International Award ( 2007) of the American Geophysical Union
American Geophysical Union
The American Geophysical Union is a nonprofit organization of geophysicists, consisting of over 50,000 members from over 135 countries. AGU's activities are focused on the organization and dissemination of scientific information in the interdisciplinary and international field of geophysics...
Certificate of Recognition (2007) of the International Association of GeoChemistry
International Association of GeoChemistry
The IAGC is affiliated with the International Union of Geological Sciences and has been one of the pre-eminent international geochemical organizations for over thirty-five years...
;
and Eminent Citizen Award in the area of Water Sciences of the Sivananda Trust, India (2007). He is a recipient of the fellowships from UNIDO (1989) and United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs is an organization of the General Assembly charged with implementing the Assembly's outer space-related policies. It is located in the United Nations Office in Vienna. The Office implements the Program on Space Applications and maintains the...
(1989).
Other mentions
Aswathanarayana served as General Secretary, Geological Society of IndiaGeological Society of India
The Geological Society of India is based in Bangalore, India. Its flagship product is the Journal of the Geological Society of India .-Establishment:...
(1976–1979), Chairman, Working Group on Isotope Geochemistry of IAGC(1979–1983), Leader, IAVCEI W.G. on Deccan Volcanism (1979–83) and Chairman of the Working Group on “Geochemical Training in Developing Countries” of the International Association of Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry (1996–2008). He was UNESCO Expert affiliated to the Institute for Trace Element Research, Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(1991).
Publications
Aswathanarayana is the author of over 100 original scientific papers and ten books. His first book, Principles of Nuclear Geology (A.A. Balkema, The Netherlands, 1986), was followed by a quartet of books on the ecologically-sustainable and employment-generating use of natural resources: Geoenvironment: An Introduction (A.A. Balkema, The Netherlands, 1995), Soil Resources and the Environment (Science Publishers, Enfield, USA, 1999), Water Resources Management and the Environment (A.A. Balkema, 2001), Mineral Resources Management and the Environment (A.A. Balkema, 2003).The Geological Society of India, Bangalore, has brought out his popular science booklet, “Natural Resources and Environment,”(2003) which has been translated into Indian languages. Advances in Water Science Methodologies (2005), The Indian Ocean Tsunami(2006), Food and Water Security (2008), “Energy Portfolios” (2009) are some of his recent books. His most recent book, Green Energy: Technology, Economics and Policy, is published by Taylor & Francis
Taylor & Francis
Taylor & Francis Group is an international company originating in the United Kingdom which publishes books and academic journals. It is a division of Informa plc, a United Kingdom-based publisher and conference company.- Overview :...
of the UK.