Who is Mrutyunjay Mohapatra? The Cyclone Expert Honored with the UN Sasakawa Award 2025!
Mrutyunjay Mohapatra Receives UN Sasakawa Award
Bhubaneswar: Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, the Director General of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), has been awarded the esteemed United Nations Sasakawa Award-2025 for his contributions to Disaster Risk Reduction.
Affectionately referred to as India’s 'cyclone man,' Mohapatra is originally from Odisha.
The IMD shared this significant achievement on their official X account on Friday.
Congratulations India!! A Proud Moment for Nation !!
Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of Meteorology, India Meteorological Department has received the prestigious United Nations Sasakawa Award-2025 for Disaster Risk Reduction!
A huge step forward in global disaster… pic.twitter.com/4qZcMvFDUi
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) June 5, 2025
Mrutyunjay Mohapatra was born on August 12, 1965, in Rajagurupur, located in Odisha’s Bhadrak district. He began his professional journey in 1988 as a junior scientific assistant at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Chandipur, following his MSc and PhD in physics. From 1990 to 1992, he also worked as a physics lecturer at DK College in Balasore.
In 1992, he joined the IMD as a Meteorologist Grade II trainee in Pune and steadily advanced through various positions. By 2004, he was appointed as the director of the Regional Meteorological Centre in Guwahati, and in 2019, he took on the role of director general of meteorology at the IMD headquarters in New Delhi.
The Sasakawa Award, established in 1986, is recognized as one of the highest honors in disaster risk reduction. This year's theme, 'Connecting science to people: Democratizing access to innovation and technology for disaster-resilient communities,' aligns perfectly with Mohapatra’s extensive work in the field.