Giriraj Amarnath
Research Group Leader - Water Data for Climate Resilience / Principal Researcher – Disaster Risk Management and Climate Resilience
Areas of expertise
Drought remote sensing Food security Floods Risks Index-based insurance Data emergency responseGiriraj previously worked at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) to understand disaster risks for mountain ecosystems (2008-2011), and was a Research Associate at the University of Bayreuth, Germany (2006-2008). In 2003, he received a PhD in applied remote sensing and landscape ecology from the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) at the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). In 2005, he worked as a postdoc at the French Institute of Pondicherry, India, on fire ecology and species niche modeling, and was a faculty member at the University of Bayreuth, Germany, teaching remote sensing for global change ecology.
Current projects
Latest news for Giriraj Amarnath
Do national weather forecasts help farmers make daily decisions?
In Zambia’s Chisamba district, IWMI-trained agriculture officers convert jargon-heavy weather forecasts into practical advice farmers can use to plan crops and manage water ...
IWMI and World Meteorological Organization partner to strengthen climate resilience through data, innovation and early action
The partnership will integrate climate data with water management solutions to help vulnerable communities in Africa and Asia anticipate and respond to extreme weather events ...
COP30 signals a paradigm shift from emissions-only thinking to resilience and water-centered solutions
In Belém, COP30 highlighted critical pathways for countries to advance water centric climate action ...
The climate and humanitarian impact of Sri Lanka’s floods
IWMI’s Giriraj Amarnath spoke to Sami Zeidan Live on Al Jazeera News on December 4, 2025 about the climate and humanitarian impact of the widespread floods in Sri Lanka. Amarnath ...
Cyclone Ditwah’s impact on Sri Lanka
IWMI's Giriraj Amarnath talked to Lewis Vaughan Jones live on BBC News show The Context on November 28, 2025, about the situation in Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah caused widespread ...
IWMI introduces AI tool for climate-smart planning and investments
The Climate Risk Intelligence Assistant makes climate data more accessible, guiding national adaptation and investment decisions ...
Water security for Pakistan’s drought-prone regions
Pakistan and IWMI strengthen drought resilience initiatives through strategic partnership ...
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 ...
IWMI pilots index-based flood insurance in Zambia
This groundbreaking approach to insurance can help farmers receive payments faster after disasters and become more climate resilient ...
Sri Lanka is now AWARE
IWMI launches the early warning, early action, early finance platform to pre-empt disaster in Sri Lanka ...
IWMI and partners kick off climate action program in Sri Lanka
National stakeholders committed to scaling climate adaptation and resilience at the launch of the CGIAR Climate Action Program at IWMI’s Headquarters in Colombo ...
Latest publications by Giriraj Amarnath
Brief
The climate-smart governance dashboard and AI agent: operationalizing adaptation finance through data-driven prioritization
International Water Management Institute | February 16th, 2026
Report
Future-ready water systems: climate-smart decision support for smart water allocation and planning in India
International Water Management Institute | February 12th, 2026
Report
User Consultation Workshop on SukhaRakshak AI for Drought Management in India
International Water Management Institute | February 6th, 2026
