Alok Sikka
Country Representative - India and Bangladesh / Senior Fellow
Alok served as Deputy Director General (Natural Resource Management) at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), India, and Technical Expert (Watershed Development) (in the rank of Additional Secretary to the Government of India), National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA), Planning Commission, Government of India, New Delhi, India. He was Director of the ICAR Research Complex for the Eastern Region, Patna, India, and Basin Coordinator for the Indo-Gangetic Basin under the CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF) from 2002 to 2007.
Current projects
Latest news for Alok Sikka
What the evidence says about solar irrigation and groundwater sustainability in Bangladesh
An IWMI study shows that solar irrigation expansion under fee-for-service model can happen without risk to groundwater sustainability ...
A One Health approach to fight waterborne antimicrobial resistance in India
With projections of up to 1.4 million deaths related to antimicrobial resistance a year by 2030, India needs to take immediate and intensified action ...
Public-private partnerships scale solar-powered agriculture in Bangladesh
The second phase of SoLAR kicks off in Bangladesh, advancing the transition toward sustainable, carbon-neutral irrigation ...
Inclusive financial models empower women in India’s agriculture sector to expand income opportunities
This International Day of Rural Women, IWMI’s innovative finance models are empowering women farmers in India with greater involvement, access to resources and opportunities in agriculture ...
How Bangladesh can gain from managing floodwater
Floodwater management offers a promising opportunity for Bangladesh's agriculture to tackle water scarcity, mitigate flooding and promote sustainable development ...
India to get its first AI-based chatbot to tackle drought
SukhaRakshak AI, the drought protector, is to transform the realities of millions of farmers and their communities ...
IWMI and partners are catalyzing climate resilience in India
The recent launch of the CGIAR Climate Action Program in the Indian states of Odisha and Tamil Nadu marks a major step toward integrating science-based climate solutions into state-level planning ...
November-December 2024 Research Journal Roundup
Roundup of research, journal and other academic articles from November and December 2024 ...
September-October 2024 Research Journal Roundup
Roundup of research, journal and other academic articles from September and October 2024 ...
Odisha’s integrated approach to food, land and water
The new report by IWMI and the Council on Energy, Environment and Water highlights the strengthening of policy coherence ...
In Kumaon, water’s not under the bridge
IWMI's Suchiradipta Bhattacharjee and Garima Taneja discuss the impact of perennial springs drying up in the Kumaon region ...
India Water Week 2024 underscores collective action for water security
The forum explored the role of partnerships, technology and community engagement in securing India’s water resources ...
Latest publications by Alok Sikka
Journal Article
Exploring microbial diversity, antibiotic resistance, and their environmental drivers in urban and peri-urban riverbed sediments of sub-tropical river basins
January, 2026
Brief
SukhaRakshak AI – transforming drought preparedness in India
International Water Management Institute | December 30th, 2025
Report
Co-creating resilient landscapes: transitioning to a multifunctional approach in India
International Water Management Institute; CGIAR Multifunctional Landscapes Program | December 23rd, 2025
