Dr. Sumit Das

About Me

I am a geomorphologist with a broad interest in landscape evolution, erosion processes, and natural hazards. My research primarily focuses on tectonic geomorphology, lithological controls on landscape dynamics, and the influence of climate change on both long-term and short-term landscape transformations. I integrate quantitative geomorphology with field-based investigations to reconstruct the evolution of Earth’s surface.

My work also explores landslide-flood interactions under diverse environmental settings, the impacts of Anthropocene-driven changes on river systems, and the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in hazard and risk mitigation.

I currently serve on the Editorial Advisory Boards of Science of the Total Environment (Elsevier),  CATENA (Elsevier) and the Innovation Geosciences.

Employment and experiences

• Postdoctoral Researcher                            Charles University, Czechia                    2024-Present
• Junior/Senior Research Fellow                  University of Pune, India                          2020-2023
• Research Assistant                                      University of Pune, India                          2017-2018

Awards and Funding

• Junior Fund (Charles University, Czechia): 24000 EUR
• Senior Research Fellowship (CSIR-UGC, India): ~21500 EUR
• Junior Research Fellowship (CSIR-UGC, India): ~10000 EUR
• Prof. V.S. Gananathan award for best M.Sc. thesis (University of Pune, India)

Some key publications

Das, S., Sangode, S.J., Kandekar, A.M., Meshram, D.C., Tarolli, P., 2023. Interrelation between factors controlling sediment yield in the largest catchment of Peninsular India. Journal of Hydrology 622, 129680. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2023.129680

Dole, G., Das, S., Kale, V.S., 2022. Tectonic framework of geomorphic evolution of the Deccan Volcanic Province, India. Earth-Science Reviews 228, 103988. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2022.103988

Das, S., Kandekar, A.M., Sangode, S.J., 2022. Natural and anthropogenic effects on spatio-temporal variation in sediment load and yield in the Godavari basin, India. Science of the Total Environment 845, 157213. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157213

Das, S., Kandekar, A.M., Sangode, S.J., 2022. Lithologic controls on geomorphic evolution of the central Western Ghats: an example from the Aghnashini catchment, Karnataka, India. Journal of the Geological Society of India 98, 451-459. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-022-2001-6 

Das, S., 2021. Dynamics of streamflow and sediment load in Peninsular Indian rivers (1965-2015). Science of the Total Environment 799, 149372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149372

Das, S., Sangode, S.J., Kandekar, A.M., 2021. Recent decline in streamflow and sediment discharge in the Godavari basin, India (1965-2015). Catena 206, 105537. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2021.105537

Das, S., Scaringi, G., 2021. River flooding in a changing climate: rainfall-discharge trends, controlling factors, and susceptibility mapping for the Mahi catchment, Western India. Natural Hazards 109, 2439-2459. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-021-04927-y

Das, S., 2020. Koyna-Warna shallow seismic region, India: Is there any geomorphic expression of active tectonics? Journal of the Geological Society of India 96(3), 217-231. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-020-1541-x

Other academic services

• Evaluator of project proposals for the Croatian Science Foundation (since 2024)
• Ph.D. thesis examiner, Macquarie University, Australia (2024)

Review activities

Nature Geoscience, Science of the Total Environment, CATENA, Geomorphology, Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, Land Degradation and Development, Landslides, Natural Hazard, Progress in Physical Geography, Geoscience Frontiers, Remote Sensing of Environment, Quaternary International and many others.

Memberships

• European Geosciences Union (EGU)
• International Association of Engineering Geology (IAEG)
• Czech Association of Geomorphologists (CAG)
• Geological Society of India (GSI)
• Association of Quaternary Researchers (AOQR)
• International Association of Promoting Geoethics (IAPG)