YOUNG SCIENTIST: DR ASHUTOSH PANDEY
Dr Ashutosh Pandey is a distinguished geologist whose research has significantly advanced our understanding of the Earth’s mantle and its evolution. An Assistant Professor at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Thiruvananthapuram, Dr Pandey’s work focuses on the mineralogy and geochemistry of mantle samples and mantle-derived magmatic rocks. His research explores large-scale geodynamic processes, such as tectonic plate reorganisation, mantle melting and differentiation, and crust-mantle interactions. These processes are crucial for understanding the Earth’s biogeochemical cycles and the formation of critical mineral resources.
Dr Ashutosh Pandey received the award from the Honourable President of India, Droupadi Murmu
Dr Pandey’s research is centered on the formation of Phanerozoic Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs), with a particular emphasis on the Panjal Traps within the Himalaya mountain ranges. His investigations also delve into the origin and
geodynamic significance of Precambrian deep mantle-derived alkaline rocks, including lamproites and lamprophyres
from cratonic regions. These studies have provided new insights into the geological history of these regions.
One of Dr Pandey’s recent and notable contributions is his participation as an Igneous Petrologist in the International
Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition in the Tyrrhenian Sea. This expedition allowed him to study in situ exhumed mantle sections, offering a rare opportunity to understand mantle heterogeneity and melt-rock interactions
in the upper mantle, along with the geodynamic evolution of continent-ocean transitions.
Dr Pandey served as a Research Associate at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology in Dehradun from September 2020 to March 2022. He then transitioned to the role of Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at Pondicherry University, where he worked from April 2022 to January. Since February 2024, Dr Pandey
has been an Assistant Professor at the School of Earth, Environmental, and Sustainability Sciences at the Indian
Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Thiruvananthapuram.
Dr Pandey’s groundbreaking research has earned him numerous prestigious awards and recognitions:
National Young Geoscientist Award 2023: Awarded by the Ministry of Mines, Government of India, for his research on the geodynamic evolution of the Eastern Dharwar Craton and his alternative model for the origin of Paleoproterozoic Lesser Himalayan mafic rocks.
Prof R C Misra Award 2022: Conferred by the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun, India, recognising his contributions to geosciences.
Goldschmidt 2022 Conference Grant: Granted by the Geochemical Society to support his participation in the Goldschmidt 2022 conference in Hawaii, USA.
International Travel Support: Provided by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, to attend the Goldschmidt 2022 conference in Hawaii, USA.
ONGC-IGU Best Presentation Award (2017): Awarded by the Indian Geophysical Union and CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute for his outstanding presentation at the 54th Annual Convention of the Indian Geophysical Union.
Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Fellowship (2016-2020): Awarded by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India, for achieving All India Rank 1 in the Joint CSIR-UGC National Eligibility Test (December 2014) in Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean, and Planetary Sciences.
Summer Research Fellowship (2013): Granted by the Indian Academy of Sciences to conduct research at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
Dr Pandey’s work on the Eastern Dharwar Craton has provided crucial insights into the petrogenesis and geodynamic
implications of Mesoproterozoic calc-alkaline lamprophyres and Paleoproterozoic syenites. He proposed the role of assimilation and fractional crystallization in the geochemical evolution of mantle plume-generated Paleoproterozoic
mafic dyke swarms.
Additionally, Dr Pandey has proposed an alternative model for the origin of Paleoproterozoic Lesser Himalayan
mafic rocks, which challenges existing theories and creates new understanding of the Earth’s early tectonic processes.
