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Atul Kumar

Atul Kumar

Atul Kumar
Atul Kumar
Professor
Centre/School/Special Centre
Energy Studies Programme
School of International Studies
Email
atulkumar@jnu.ac.in
Personal Webpage
https://jnu.ac.in
Qualifications

Ph.D. (Energy Studies) 2005, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi

Areas of Interest/Specialization
  • Energy transition
  • Modelling of energy-economy-environment interaction
  • Energy, climate change and development linkages
  • Techno-economic analysis of clean energy technologies
  • Energy systems analysis
Experience
  • Professor, Energy Studies Programme, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (Since December 2020)
  • Professor, Department of Energy and Environment, TERI School of Advanced Studies (Earlier known as TERI University), New Delhi, India (2018-2020)
  • Associate Professor, Department of Energy and Environment, TERI University, Delhi (2015-2017)
  • Fellow, Modeling and Scenario Building Area, The Energy and Resources Institute, New Delhi (2008-2015)
  • Prince Claus Chair Professor on Developing and Equity, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands (May 2012- July 2012 &  March 2011-May 2011)
  • Associate Fellow, Modeling and Economic Analysis Area, The Energy and Resources Institute, New Delhi (2006- June 2008)
  • Research Associate, Modeling and Economic Analysis Area, The Energy and Resources Institute, New Delhi (2005 - 2006)
Awards & Honours
  • Prince Claus Chair Professor on Development and Equity 2010-2012, Utrecht University, the Netherlands. 
  • Member of Technical Advisory Committee of Experts to provide guidance for the preparation of India's Long-Term Low Greenhouse Gas Emissions Development Strategy for submission to the UNFCCC constituted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India (2022)
  • Member of Modelling Subgroup on Climate Change of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India (2006-2009).
International Collaboration/Consultancy
  • Research collaboration with Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ)
  • Research collaboration with Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), Jakarta, Indonesia
  • Research collaboration with Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, The Hague, the Netherlands
  • International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria
  • Research collaboration with Research collaboration with Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
  • Research collaboration with The Energy for Growth Hub, Washington, DC USA.
Best Peer Reviewed Publications
  • Dioha M.O., Kumar A. (2020). Exploring sustainable energy transitions in sub-Saharan Africa residential sector: The case of Nigeria, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Review. 117:109510
  • Sehjpal R., Ramji A., Soni A., Kumar A. (2014). Going beyond incomes: Dimensions of cooking energy transitions in rural India. Energy. 68(1):470–477.
  • Palit D., Malhotra R., Kumar A. (2011). Sustainable model for financial viability of decentralized biomass gasifier based power projects. Energy Policy 39(9):4893–4901
  • Kumar A., Kandpal T.C. (2005). Solar drying and CO2 emissions mitigation: Potential for selected cash crops in India. Solar Energy. 78(2):321–329.
  • Kumar A., Purohit P., Rana S., Kandpal T.C. (2002). An approach to the estimation of the value of agricultural residues used as biofuels. Biomass and Bioenergy. 22(3):195–203.
Recent Peer Reviewed Journals/Books
  • Ram N.K., Raman P., Khan A., Kumar A. (2023). Financial viability of hydrogen-enriched gas produced adopting air-steam gasification for power generation: A detailed comparative study and sensitivity analysis with air gasification systems, Bioresource Technology Reports. 22:101387
  • Palit D., Kumar A. (2022). Towards convergence of central grid and decentralised electricity solutions – Assessment of Indian rural electrification cases using a socio-technical framework, Energy for Sustainable Development. 71:27-53
  • Palit D., Kumar A. (2022). Drivers and barriers to rural electrification in India – A multi‐ stakeholder analysis, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Review. 166:112663
  • Dioha M.O., Kumar A. (2020). Exploring the Energy System Impacts of Nigeria's Nationally Determined Contributions and Low-Carbon Transition to Mid-Century, Energy Policy. 144:111703.
  • Dioha M.O., Kumar A. (2020). Sustainable energy pathways for land transport in Nigeria, Utilities Policy. 64:101034

A warm welcome to the modified and updated website of the Centre for East Asian Studies. The East Asian region has been at the forefront of several path-breaking changes since 1970s beginning with the redefining the development architecture with its State-led development model besides emerging as a major region in the global politics and a key hub of the sophisticated technologies. The Centre is one of the thirteen Centres of the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi that provides a holistic understanding of the region.

Initially, established as a Centre for Chinese and Japanese Studies, it subsequently grew to include Korean Studies as well. At present there are eight faculty members in the Centre. Several distinguished faculty who have now retired include the late Prof. Gargi Dutt, Prof. P.A.N. Murthy, Prof. G.P. Deshpande, Dr. Nranarayan Das, Prof. R.R. Krishnan and Prof. K.V. Kesavan. Besides, Dr. Madhu Bhalla served at the Centre in Chinese Studies Programme during 1994-2006. In addition, Ms. Kamlesh Jain and Dr. M. M. Kunju served the Centre as the Documentation Officers in Chinese and Japanese Studies respectively.

The academic curriculum covers both modern and contemporary facets of East Asia as each scholar specializes in an area of his/her interest in the region. The integrated course involves two semesters of classes at the M. Phil programme and a dissertation for the M. Phil and a thesis for Ph. D programme respectively. The central objective is to impart an interdisciplinary knowledge and understanding of history, foreign policy, government and politics, society and culture and political economy of the respective areas. Students can explore new and emerging themes such as East Asian regionalism, the evolving East Asian Community, the rise of China, resurgence of Japan and the prospects for reunification of the Korean peninsula. Additionally, the Centre lays great emphasis on the building of language skills. The background of scholars includes mostly from the social science disciplines; History, Political Science, Economics, Sociology, International Relations and language.

Several students of the centre have been recipients of prestigious research fellowships awarded by Japan Foundation, Mombusho (Ministry of Education, Government of Japan), Saburo Okita Memorial Fellowship, Nippon Foundation, Korea Foundation, Nehru Memorial Fellowship, and Fellowship from the Chinese and Taiwanese Governments. Besides, students from Japan receive fellowship from the Indian Council of Cultural Relations.