Dr. Purandara Bekal Kunkangar, a renowned hydrologist and environmental expert, was honored with the prestigious “Man of Excellence Award” in 2025 by the Indian Achievers Forum for his outstanding contributions to water science. With over four decades of experience, Dr. Purandara’s career spans across research, academia, consulting, and public service.

A native of Kasaragod, Kerala, he completed his B.Sc in Geology in 1981 and went on to secure the highest marks in Marine Geology during his M.Sc from Cochin University of Science and Technology. He earned his Ph.D. in Coastal Hydrology and Geochemistry in 1990-91 and later pursued an MBA in Environmental Management from NIBM, Chennai.

He served as a Scientist ‘G’ at the National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), Ministry of Jalshakti, Government of India, where he led over 20 national and international projects sponsored by UNESCO, UNDP, DST, MoES, and the World Bank. He collaborated with UNESCO (Paris & New Delhi) in Forest Hydrology and received advanced training in the USA, Australia, and Malaysia.

He currently serves as Emeritus Scientist and President of Prakruthi Vikopagala Nirhavana Adhyayana Samsthe, Principal Consulting Advisor to Geovale Consulting (Kolkata), CEO of WaterSearch Consultancy Services, Adjunct Faculty at GIT Belagavi, and a NABET-accredited hydrogeologist with Geomarine Solutions, Mangalore.

Among his many accolades are the Service Excellence Awards (2021 & 2022) from MEAI, the Veena Roonwal Award (2015) for water management in mining areas, and the Best Scientist Award (2000) from NIH.

He has published over 200 research papers, guided seven Ph.D. scholars, and mentored more than 100 postgraduate students. His advisory roles extend to the REWARD Project (VTU) and the Jal Shakti Abhiyan under the Prime Minister’s initiative.

Dr. Purandara’s legacy is marked by a profound impact on water resource management and capacity building in environmental sciences, making him a true torchbearer in his field.