Durgesh has joined The Council as a Programme Associate with the Sustainable Water team. With over 10 years of experience in hydrology, water resources management, and climate change, his work focuses on translating scientific research into practical solutions and policy. His current areas of work include hydrological modelling, climate-resilient river and water management, green water management, water quality, and emerging applications of artificial intelligence and digital technologies in the water sector.

Prior to joining The Council, Durgesh worked with organisations including ATREE, IIT Kanpur, Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR), and IRMA. His work has spanned watershed ecological restoration, water demand management, river rejuvenation, and water quality, giving him experience across different dimensions of integrated water management.

Durgesh holds a PhD from Tsinghua University, China, specialising in river and water resources management. His research explored basin ecological restoration, hydrology, water stress, sediment dynamics, and climate change, with hydrological modelling and machine learning applied to specific aspects of his research. During his PhD, he was also a visiting researcher at the Institute of Applied Geosciences, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany, where he studied hydrological changes associated with check dams and ecological restoration. He holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Infrastructure from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Sweden, where his thesis focused on river water quality modelling. During his time at KTH, he also interned with Sulabh International, exploring community-driven approaches to sanitation in India.

Outside of work, Durgesh is an avid sportsperson and enjoys swimming, tennis, and badminton. He also enjoys travelling, particularly to remote and lesser-explored parts.