Scientists from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) have achieved a major research milestone with the approval of a prestigious, nationally significant project funded by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) under its RESPOND programme. The sanctioned project, titled “Groundwater Regime Impact and Climate Change towards Sustainable Development Goals,” aims to advance research on water sustainability and climate resilience in India.
The interdisciplinary PAU research team is led by Dr. Samanpreet Kaur, Principal Scientist (Principal Investigator), Department of Soil and Water Engineering, and includes Dr. Prabhjyot Kaur Sidhu, Principal Scientist (Co-PI), Department of Climate Change and Agro-Meteorology, and Dr. Surbhi Gupta, Assistant Professor (Co-PI), Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology. The team will work in close collaboration with Mr. Rajarshi Saha, Co-PI, ISRO/NRSC, bringing together academic expertise and advanced space-based applications.
Giving details, Dr Samanpreet Kaur said that the project underscores PAU’s growing role as a key academic partner in leveraging space-based and geospatial technologies to address critical national challenges related to groundwater depletion and climate variability. “With groundwater sustainability emerging as a pressing concern for India’s agricultural and water security, the study will focus on assessing climate change impacts on groundwater regimes and developing science-driven solutions”, she elaborated.
The research will integrate advanced earth observation techniques, big data analytics, and machine learning tools to develop a dynamic and predictive groundwater management framework. Expected outcomes include the generation of downscaled satellite products, predictive models for accurate groundwater dynamics under diverse climate scenarios, and the identification of groundwater vulnerability hotspots across India.
In addition to scientific outputs, the initiative will contribute significantly to capacity building, offering advanced training and research opportunities for students and young scientists in cutting-edge geospatial, hydrological, and climate applications.
Congratulating the research team, PAU Vice-Chancellor Dr. Satbir Singh Gosal, Director of Research Dr. A.S. Dhatt, Dean, College of Engineering and Technology Dr. Manjeet Singh, and Head, Department of Soil and Water Engineering Dr. J.P. Singh lauded the scientists for securing the prestigious grant.
They noted that the project further strengthens PAU’s position as a leading agricultural university contributing to national missions through strategic collaborations with premier organisations such as ISRO.