Dr. Subhabrata Panda: Assistant Professor in Soil and Water Conservation at Bidhan Chandra Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, India
Title/Designation: Dr.
Name: Subhabrata Panda
Current Role/Designation: Assistant Professor in Soil and Water Conservation
Organization/Institution: Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya (BCKV), Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal, India
Country: India
Subject Track: Agriculture
Key Areas of Expertise: Soil and Water Conservation, Watershed Management, Agroforestry, Hydrological Modeling, and Natural Resource Management
Award Category (2025): Innovative Researcher Award
Submission Date: October 4, 2025
Dr. Subhabrata Panda is a distinguished academician and researcher in the field of Soil and Water Conservation Engineering, currently serving as a Professor at the Department of Soil and Water Conservation, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya (BCKV), West Bengal, India. Over the course of his illustrious career, he has made remarkable contributions to watershed hydrology, natural resource management, and sustainable land use planning in the Eastern and North-Eastern regions of India. His research integrates engineering principles with ecological and socio-economic perspectives to address critical challenges related to soil degradation, water scarcity, and climate change impacts on agriculture. Through his innovative research, field implementation, and technology dissemination, Dr. Panda has established himself as a leading figure in the field of sustainable agricultural development and environmental conservation.
Online Profiles
His research work has received 688 citations from 688 documents, with 2 publications indexed and an h-index of 1. These metrics reflect the reach and continued academic engagement with his contributions in the domains of soil and water conservation, watershed hydrology, and natural resource management. Beyond Scopus, Dr. Panda’s scholarly influence extends through a broader portfolio of journal publications, technical bulletins, and project reports that have advanced scientific understanding and field-level application of sustainable land and water use strategies in Indian agriculture.
Education
Dr. Subhabrata Panda earned his Ph.D. in Agricultural Engineering with specialization in Soil and Water Conservation Engineering from the prestigious Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi. His doctoral research focused on hydrological modeling, soil erosion assessment, and sustainable land and water management practices in watershed ecosystems. Prior to that, he completed his M.Tech. in Agricultural Engineering with a focus on Land and Water Management and his B.Tech. in Agricultural Engineering, which provided a strong foundation in hydrology, irrigation systems, and watershed processes. His educational journey has been marked by academic excellence, technical depth, and a passion for applied environmental engineering.
Research Focus
Dr. Panda’s research encompasses a wide range of themes within the broad domain of soil and water conservation and sustainable natural resource management. His primary areas of expertise include watershed hydrology, soil erosion modeling, water harvesting systems, groundwater recharge, GIS and remote sensing applications, and climate-resilient agricultural technologies. He has contributed to developing simulation models such as SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) and RUSLE (Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation) for predicting soil loss and designing conservation strategies. His work also extends to assessing the impacts of land use change, rainfall variability, and climate dynamics on watershed behavior. By integrating field data, modeling, and participatory approaches, his research supports evidence-based policy and technology adoption for sustainable rural development.
Experience
With over 30 years of academic, research, and extension experience, Dr. Panda has held multiple leadership and scientific positions within the agricultural research system. At Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, he has been involved in teaching undergraduate and postgraduate courses in soil and water conservation, hydrology, and watershed management. As a Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator in numerous projects under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Department of Science and Technology (DST), and NABARD, he has driven impactful field-level interventions and innovations in water resource development and land productivity improvement. Beyond research, he has served as an advisor, examiner, and mentor to several M.Tech. and Ph.D. students and has actively participated in international workshops, training programs, and symposia related to resource conservation and climate-smart agriculture.
Research Timeline & Activities
Dr. Panda’s research activities span from the early 1990s to the present, encompassing several major government-funded and collaborative projects. His early work focused on soil erosion processes, hydrological response modeling, and conservation structure design in small catchments. In the 2000s, his focus expanded to watershed-scale management, groundwater recharge studies, and rainwater harvesting system optimization. During the last decade, he has emphasized climate change adaptation, geospatial analysis of water resources, and farmer-centric technologies for land productivity enhancement. Under the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Dryland Agriculture and Soil & Water Conservation, he led multidisciplinary teams to implement watershed programs that have directly benefited thousands of farmers in semi-arid and sub-humid regions. His continuous engagement in capacity-building programs, training modules, and extension activities has helped transfer research outcomes into practical on-farm applications.
Awards & Honors
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to research, education, and technology dissemination, Dr. Panda has received numerous accolades. He has been honored with Best Research Paper Awards, Excellence in Teaching Awards, and Certificates of Appreciation from ICAR for his significant role in AICRP programs. His technical bulletins and reports have been adopted by state-level agricultural departments for field implementation. He has been recognized by professional societies such as the Indian Society of Soil and Water Conservation, the Indian Association of Hydrologists, and the Indian Agricultural Engineers Association for his leadership and scientific achievements. His dedication to rural sustainability and student mentorship continues to inspire young researchers and professionals in the field.
Recent Publications and Contributions (2025)
In 2025, Dr. Subhabrata Panda made notable scholarly contributions to the field of agroforestry and sustainable land management through authorship in a comprehensive volume titled “Agroforestry for Sustainable and Improved Livelihoods Through Value Addition and Animal Husbandry” (DOI: 10.1007/978-981-96-6855-7), published by Springer Nature. His work in this volume includes several insightful book chapters addressing critical aspects of agroforestry systems and their multifaceted benefits for soil, crops, and livelihoods. These chapters include:
Agroforestry for Sustainable and Improved Livelihoods Through Value Addition and Animal Husbandry (DOI: 10.1007/978-981-96-6855-7_7)
Agroforestry: Helping Soil Organic Carbon Built-up (DOI: 10.1007/978-981-96-6855-7_4)
Agroforestry: Improving Soil Health and Healthy Food Production (DOI: 10.1007/978-981-96-6855-7_5)
Agroforestry: Influencing Production of Cereals, Pulses, Legumes, Oilseeds, and Fruits (DOI: 10.1007/978-981-96-6855-7_3)
Through these works, Dr. Panda explores how agroforestry practices contribute to soil health improvement, organic carbon accumulation, diversified cropping systems, and enhanced food and livelihood security. His contributions underscore the significance of integrating trees, crops, and livestock into farming systems to foster ecological balance and long-term sustainability in agriculture.