Saswata Sanyal

Intervention Manager – Disaster Risk Reduction / DRR Specialist
Climate and environmental risks (SG1)
Managing cryosphere and water risks (SG1-AAA)

Dr. Saswata Sanyal joined ICIMOD as Intervention Manager (Disaster Risk Reduction –DRR) and as DRR Specialist in January 2024. He brings over a decade of experience in DRR, having managed large-scale research projects across South East Asia, South Asia, and East Asia with various international, intergovernmental, and academic institutions.

Prior to ICIMOD, Saswata worked at the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) in Bangkok from 2018 to 2023. During his tenure there, he held multiple positions, including that of Regional Project Manager – Climate Adaptation and Resilience, where he oversaw a World Bank project in South Asia. Additionally, he served as DRR Mainstreaming Officer and Coordinator, developing policy recommendations, frameworks, indices, and guidelines, and conducting training sessions to enhance resilience to disasters and climate change across countries in South Asia, South East Asia, and East Asia.

Saswata holds a PhD in disaster preparedness, mitigation, and management from the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand, and a master’s in disaster management from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. Since 2017, he has been recognised as a “Young Scientist” with the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk initiative, Beijing.

Saswata Sanyal