Climate scientist and IIT Delhi professor Krishna AchutaRao dies at 62

Krishna AchutaRao, a distinguished IIT Delhi professor and leading Indian scientist in the field of climate risk assessment and attribution science, passed away on Friday at the age of 62. He had been battling illness for some time prior to his death. AchutaRao was renowned for his work on understanding the role of human activities in individual extreme weather events.

He was a key member of World Weather Attribution, a global network of scientists dedicated to quantifying the human impact on major extreme weather events worldwide. AchutaRao also made significant contributions to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the UN-backed body responsible for periodic global assessments of climate change.

His dedication to protecting vulnerable communities from climate change impacts led him to establish the Centre of Excellence for Climate Change Adaptation at IIT Delhi. AchutaRao was a strong advocate for the interdisciplinary nature of climate science and the enhancement of early warning systems in the country. He was also an accomplished science communicator, able to simplify complex concepts for broader understanding.

Roxy Koll Mathew, a climate scientist and close friend, praised AchutaRao's scientific rigor, attention to detail, and humor. AchutaRao's wife, Mila Mitra, is an astrophysicist and co-founder of STEM & Space, an education company focused on popularizing science, especially space sciences, among schoolchildren.