Gopal Kumar

Deputy Country Representative - India & Researcher - Agroecology-Natural Resources Management


Gopal served as Principal Scientist at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) – Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation (IISWC) in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India for over five years including as Head of Division of Soil Science and Agronomy. He was a Scientist and Senior Scientist at ICAR-IISWC’s research center in Udhagamandalam, Tamilnadu, India and in Vasad, Gujarat, India for more than 10 years. He was also posted at ICAR-NRC in Litchi, Muzaffarpur, Bihar, India for two years. He developed proposals and worked on more than 30 research, demonstration, and consultancy projects. He authored or co-authored over 150 publications, about 60 in peer-reviewed journals. Gopal has worked extensively on natural resource inventory, mapping, monitoring and managing land degradation. His research work focuses on soil and water conservation, participatory watershed management in alluvial ravine and hilly regions, development of vegetation based conservation measures, design development for small scale water harvesting, and storage and multiple use. After serving ICAR in various capacities for 18 years, he joined IWMI’s New Delhi office on October 16, 2023.


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Latest news for Gopal Kumar

How traditional knowledge shapes India’s wetlands

For centuries, communities across the subcontinent have protected wetlands through knowledge systems rooted in living with water. These relationships are essential to today’s conservation ...

Latest publications by Gopal Kumar

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Report

Future-ready water systems: climate-smart decision support for smart water allocation and planning in India

International Water Management Institute | February 12th, 2026
Sena, Dipaka Ranjan; Sikka, Alok; Kumar, Gopal; Mahapatra, Smaranika; Rajkhowa, Pallavi; Sharma, Ruchi; Amarnath, Giriraj; Bandyopadhyay, K.; Sarangi, A.
Open Access
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Report

Co-creating resilient landscapes: transitioning to a multifunctional approach in India

International Water Management Institute | January 12th, 2026
Borah, Gulshan; Yadav, Shweta; Samaddar, A.; Kumar, Gopal; Sikka, Alok
Open Access
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Brief

Modular prefabricated water storage tank for easy transport and quick assembly in remote areas

International Water Management Institute | November 25th, 2025
Kumar, Gopal; Sena, Dipaka Ranjan; Sikka, Alok; Malaiappan, Sudharsan; Sammadar, A.; Madhu, M.
Open Access

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