Dr. Nabin Kumar Dhal, Chief Scientist - Head 9437460626,   nkdhal@immt.res.in ,   https://www.immt.res.in/environment-sustainability/dr-nabin-kumar-dhal-chief-scientist-head

DESCRIPTION :

Dr. Nabin Kumar Dhal earned a Ph. D. degree in Floristic and Ethno botanical studies of Nabarangpur District from Utkal University under the guidance of Late. Dr. M Brahmam.

As a researcher having 34 years of experience with biology background, the contributions of entire R&D carrier is in the field of Phytoremediation, Biodiversity monitoring and Conservation, Development of Organo- Mineral fertilizer , Carbon Stock estimation, Plant taxonomy and Ethnobotany, Phytochemical and Antimicrobial activites of Medicinal plants, Stress biology, and Industrial waste management leading to creation of scientific knowledge and development for sustainable utilization of natural resources.

The major contributions are in the following areas.

• Ecorestoration of waste land (Overburden dump and Tailings pond) of South Kaliapani Mining areas, OMC, JSL and FACOR etc through Phytoremediation Technology.
• Contributions towards quantitative assessment, biological spectrum, and phytosociology (Eastern Ghats of Odisha) for the conservation of targeted threatened taxa. His work has led establishment of herbal gardens and development of a state-of-art of Herbarium (20,000 plant specimen) for sustainable development of Biodiversity Conservation creating ample scope for earning revenue.
• Assessment of pollution tolerant plant species (dust capturing capacity, metal accumulation index, air pollution tolerance index) from Mining and Industrial areas (Angul , Talcher and Sukinda ) for green belt development.
• Selection of site specific radioactive tolerant hyperaccumulating plant species for pilot scale planation in different nuclear power plants ( Kalpakkam, Kudankulam and Narora) .
• Development of Low cost Organo-mineral fertilizer as an alternative of synthetic fertilizer.
• Preparation of base line data on Carbon stock assessment of Chandaka wildlife Sanctuary for afforestation program of indigenous species.
• Reported the occurrence of Corallodiscus batalin (Gesneriaceae), a new generic record for Easternghats, Orissa.” Published in Current Science and rediscovered three species i.e. Tephrosia tinctoria Pers., Aniseia martinicensis (Jacq.) Choisy.Anodendron paniculatum A. DC. from Orissa.An Orchid sp. Zeuxine longilabris (Lindl.) Benth ex Hook.f. and another dicot sp. Anisomeles indica (L.) Kuntze var. mollissima Benth (Lamiaceae) collected from the Chitrakonda and Mudulipada(Bonda Hills) respectively are two new records to the flora of the state.
• He has published 227 no. of Research Papers in different National & International journals with Citation 3042, h index 27 and i10 index 76. • Filed 06 patents and presented more than 250 research papers in different national and International conferences.
• Conducted more than twenty (30) skilled development training Program in different school & Colleges on Documentation & Conservation of medicinal plants and trained more than 500 students.

AREA OF INTEREST :

• Plant Taxonomy.
• Ethnobotany.
• Biodiversity monitoring and Conservation.
• Bioremediation.
• Phytochemical and Anti microbial activities of Medicinal plants.
• Solid waste management through agriculture.
• Environmental assessment of Coastal shelter belts.
• Bio-ethanol from Agricultural wastes.
• Development of Organo Mineral Fertilizer.
• Carbon Stock estimation.

AWARDS & HONOURS :

• Conferred Fellow of Ethno Botanical Society (FES) by the Society of Ethnobotany, Lucknow
• Conferred Fellow of Indian Association of Angiospermic Taxonomy (FIAT) by IAAT, Calicut.
• Conferred Fellow of National Environmentalists Association (FNEA) by NEA, Ranchi
• Conferred Fellow of the Association for Plant Taxonomy (FAPT) by APT, Dehradun
• Conferred Fellow of the International society of environmental Botanists (FISEB) by ISEB,Lucknow .
• Conferred Fellow of Orissa Environmental Society ( FOES) by Orissa environmental Society Bhubaneswar.

• Received Dr. Mopuri Brahmam Memorial Award for Plant Diversity conservation by Orissa Botanical Society.
• Eminent Scientist of the year Award 2021(12th Dec. 2021) by National Environmental Science Academy, New Delhi – 110019
• International Honour J.W. Hashberger Gold Medal for the year 2020 by Society of Ethnobotany, Lucknow.
• Vice President of the Society of Ethnobotanists, Lucknow (2020-23).
• Executive Council of Indian Association of Angiosperm Taxonomy (IAAT).

• 16 (Sixteen ) students have been awarded Ph.D under his guidance,08 ( eight) students are in pipe line for submission and Sixty two (62) students completed summer training program.
• Delivered more than Sixty (70) invited talks in different National & International seminars.
• Nominee of the Dean Biological science for selection of Ph.D. under AcSIR from June 2019.

PROJECTS WORKED ON :Handled 40 research projects as Project leader and Co-Project leader from DST,DBT, CSIR, AERB, State Forest Dept., OMC,JSL,FACOR, NMPB , MOES, Ministry of AYUSH , NRSA etc.