Dr. Ajai Manglik

Dr. Ajai Manglik received his M.Tech. (Applied Geophysics) degree from University of Roorkee (now IIT-Roorkee) in 1988 and Ph.D. from Osmania University in 1994. He joined CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research), Hyderabad, India, on 1 June 1989 and superannuated on 30 April 2026. Presently, he is a DAE-Raja Ramanna Chair (DAE-RRC) at the institute.

Dr. Manglik's research interests are in the fields of Geophysical Fluid Dynamics, Tectonophysics, Magnetotellurics, Groundwater flow modelling, and Geophysical Inversion. During his early carrier, he worked extensively on analytical and numerical modelling of thermo-mechanical processes controlling lithospheric deformation with special emphasis on the Indian continental lithosphere. For over a decade and a half, he was involved in numerical simulation of large-scale convection in the Earth's deep interior with application to mantle plume tectonics and geomagnetic field generation and reversals. Duirng the past eighteen years, he has been engaged in magnetotelluric studies focused on crustal and lithospheric structure of the Himalaya and the adjoining Ganga Basin, trans-Himalaya, Western Ghats and Deccan Volcanic Province, concealed Aravalli-Delhi Fold Belt, and the Bundelkhand craton. He developed one of the early algorithms for joint-inversion of seismic and electromagnetic data and semi-analytical algorithms for modelling of groundwater flow in unconfined aquifers due to general time varying recharge. He worked in close cooperation with Max-Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Germany, on core dynamics and with Institute of Physics of Earth, Russia, on thermo-mechanical modelling of continental lithosphere.

Dr. Manglik applied geophysical techniques to industrial problems related to identification of suitable earth electrode station sites for High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) power transmission in India for Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) and Siemens India Limited (SIL), and for imaging of kimberlite pipes for National Mineral Development Corporation Limited (NMDC). For over six years he coordinated a Heliborne Geophysics project sponsored by Atomic Minerals Directorate (AMD) for uranium exploration in India and also executed a project on electromagnetic imaging for the Brahmaputra tunnel project. He also coordinated a CSIR mega project titled "India Deep Earth Exploration Program" and looked after the Human Resource activities pertaining to the institute's research students. He was a part of many organizational committees of the institute. Dr. Manglik was a member of the IUGG Statutes and By-Laws Committee and INSA IUGG-IGU National Committee.

Dr. Manglik has several research publications in peer reviewed International and National journals, chapters in books, Technical Reports, and edited volumes. He was one of the Editors of the Encyclopaedia of Solid Earth Geophysics published in 2011 and 2021 by Springer. He was an Associate Editor of Journal of Earth System Science during 2005-09. Since 2018, he is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Geological Society of India.