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About CESS

Institute

Earthsystemstudies

karunakaran4 Prof. C. Karunakaran (1917-1999)

Cheruvari Karunakaran was born on 6th May 1917 at Thalasseri in Kannur District of Kerala State. He had his education in Chennai and then in Banaras Hindu University from where he took his Masters Degree in Geology in 1938. He started his career as a geologist in the Mineral Survey Department, Uttar Pradesh. He served as a lecture in Geology in the Presidency College, Madras (now Chennai), and latter took charge of the newly created Geology Department in Andhra University, Waltair. Through his inspiring classes, he earned a reputation as an outstanding teacher who could instill academic enthusiasm in his students.

Prof. Karunakaran was appointed as an officer in the Geological Survey of India (GSI) in the year 1948. He became Deputy Director General of the GSI in charge of the Southern Region in 1968, and the Director General on April 3, 1974. After superannuation in 1975, he was appointed as Officer on Special Duty in the Oil and Natural Gas Commission, and later became a Technical Member of the Kerala State Planning Board. He established the Centre for Earth Science Studies in 1978 and was its first Director. The various positions he has held include: Member, Governing Body of Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Vice Chairman, ESCAPE International, President, Indian Geophysical Union, President, Institute of Indian Peninsular Geology and President, Indian Academy of Geosciences. Prof. C. Karunakaran passed away in Chennai on May 28, 1999.

Prof. Karunakaran had several outstanding achievements to his credit. He led the first joint scientific expedition to the Great Nicobar Island in 1965, which received worldwide attention. He pointed out in his report that Pygmalion Point (now Indira Gandhi Point) and not Kanyakumari, is the southernmost part of India. He organized a scientific expedition to the Zemu Glacier in Sikkim, where geophysical methods to measure the thickness of ice were used for the first time in India. Prof. Karunakaran conceived and formulated the idea of an Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica, which he submitted to the then Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi. A person of wide interests, Prof. Karunakaran’s knowledge of orchids was well recognised. He was an expert diver, and held the diving record with the Cochin Naval Base for his age group. He has won several awards including the Coggin Brown Memorial Gold Medal, Professorship and Gold Medal of Andhra University and membership of the Explorer’s Club.

A multidisciplinary institute that brings together all disciplines of earth science under one roof was Prof. Karunakaran’s dream. He held extensive discussion with scientists in many leading research centers around the world about his dream. The product of his vision has evolved into a leading institute in the country.

CESS has instituted an Endowment Lecture series in honour of its founder Director Prof. C Karunakaran. The first lecture was delivered by Dr K. Kasturirangan, then Chairman, ISRO, Govt. of India and the latest in the series, ninth lecture, was delivered by internationally acclaimed theoretical physicist and cosmologist Prof. T.Padmanabhan.

Solid Earth Science: Crustal evolution and geodynamics, Quaternary evolution processes, sedimentology and depositional processes, weathering and surface processes, and coastal dynamics.

Earth Science Applications: Landslides and coastal erosion mitigation, coastal zone management, resource evaluation and environmental impact assessment.

To develop as a Nodal Centre for multidisciplinary studies on solid earth.
To understand the various solid earth dynamic processes with special emphasis on cratonic blocks of India and associated Proterozoic mobile belts with geological history spanning 3000 Ma.
To understand evolution of Quaternary formations of India and their bearing on climate and sea level changes.
To study the surface processes including terrain evolution.
To understand the sedimentary and physic-chemical processes of the coastal zone and its subsystems.
To investigate landslides and coastal erosion and work towards their mitigation and management systems.
To apply earth science knowledge for geo resources evaluation and environmental conservation.
To undertake earth science applications for societal benefit.
To effectively integrate with the earth system science programs of the MoES and those of the country.
To take up sponsored R&D projects in Solid Earth Science and its applications.
To collaborate and cooperate with other national and international institutions in the field of Solid Earth Science and its application, exchange of scientists, information, study tours, training in specialized areas of solid earth science, conducting workshops, seminars/symposia, invited lectures, etc., consistent with the aims and objectives of NCESS, subject to the prior approval of the MoES.