Dr. Manoj Kumar is an environmentalist specializing in hydrogeochemistry. Dr. Kumar obtained his Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, in 2017. Currently as an Assistant Professor at IISER Mohali, Dr. Kumar brings a diverse academic background, having previously served at the Central University of Haryana (2016–2023), briefly at IISER Thiruvananthapuram, and as a Lecturer at IISER Mohali during 2023–2024. Dr. Kumar’s research primarily addresses groundwater contamination, with a special emphasis on geogenic contaminants such as arsenic and fluoride, affecting drinking water supplies in various regions worldwide. He has successfully supervised and co-supervised over 80 M.Sc. dissertations. In recognition of his contributions, Dr. Kumar was awarded the prestigious Crawford Fund Fellowship in 2013.

Social Media Links

Scopus Author ID 56190054000

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7630-7389
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Manoj-Kumar-110
https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=Pt6x_o0AAAAJ&hl=en

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Manoj-Kumar-110
GoogleScholar: https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=Pt6x_o0AAAAJ&hl=en
Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7630-7389

The research group led by Dr. Kumar focuses on hydrogeochemistry and environmental geosciences, with an emphasis on understanding groundwater quality, water–rock interactions, and contaminant transport in diverse geological settings. The group integrates field investigations, laboratory analyses, and geochemical modelling to assess the impact of natural processes and anthropogenic activities on water resources. Ongoing projects explore issues such as groundwater contamination, trace element mobility, and sustainable water management in vulnerable regions.

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• Vijay Pal Meena, Nafees Ahmad, Rimjhim Singh, Arun Vyas, Amit Kumar, Sunil Kumar, and Manoj Kumar. 2025. Fluoride variability in groundwater: Hydro-Geochemical Influences and risk assessment in an Arid region of Northwestern India. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts A/B/C 104029. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pce.2025.104029.
• Manoj Kumar, Sunil Kumar and Lovish. 2024. Statistical and Geospatial Assessment of Trace and Toxic Elements Distribution in Ground and Surface water of Northern Parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plains: Source Identification and Health Risk Assessment. Chemosphere. 364, 142990. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142990.
• Shailesh Kumar Yadav, A.L. Ramanathan, Chidambaram Sabarathinam, Alok Kumar, Manoj Kumar, Anshula Dhiman. 2024. Understanding arsenic behaviour in alluvial aquifers: Evidence from sediment geochemistry, solute chemistry and environmental isotopes. Geoscience Frontiers. 15, 101844.
• Shubham Kumar, Ritesh Kumar, Manoj Kumar, Alok Kumar Pandey, Prashant K. Srivastava, Sanchit Kumar, Varun Narayan Mishra, V. S. Arya. 2023. Spatio-temporal variability analysis of evapotranspiration, water use efficiency and net primary productivity in the semi-arid region of Aravalli and Siwalik range, India. Environment, Development and Sustainability.
• Hooda, Deepti, Santosh Saraswat, Nikhil Gakkhar, and Manoj Kumar. 2023. Assessment of Solar-Biomass Power Potential in the State of Punjab, India. Advances in Science and Technology. 130: 173–179.
• Anoop Yadav, Neeraj Kumari, Rajesh Kumar, Manoj Kumar, Sushma Yadav. 2023. Fluoride distribution, contamination, toxicological effects and remedial measures: a review. Sustainable Water Resources Management. 9, 150.
• Piu Saha, Kundil Kr Saikia, Manoj Kumar, Sumi Handique. 2023. Assessment of health risk and pollution load for heavy and toxic metal contamination from leachate in soil and groundwater in the vicinity of dumping site in Mid-Brahmaputra Valley, India. Total Environment Research Themes. 8, 100076.
• Hemraj, and Manoj Kumar. 2022. GIS based surface elevation assessment of spring water quality of Shivalik Range of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Groundwater for Sustainable Development. 16, 100851.
• Shailesh Kumar Yadav, A.L. Ramanathan, Manoj Kumar, S. Chidambaram, Y. P. Gautam & C. Tiwari. 2020. Assessment of arsenic and uranium co-occurrences in groundwater of central Gangetic Plain, Uttar Pradesh, India. Environmental Earth Sciences. 79, 154.
• Virendra Bahadur Singh, Pritam Chand, Milap Chand Sharma, Ujjal Deka Baruah, Manoj Kumar, Naveen Kumar, A.L. Ramanathan. 2020. Evaluation of Meltwater Quality Using Dissolved Ions Chemistry and Multivariate Statistical Methods: A Case Study of the Manimahesh Glacier, Ravi Basin, Himachal Pradesh, India. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., India, Sect. A Phys. Sci. 90: 57–66.
• Manoj Kumar, A.L. Ramanathan, Abhijit Mukherjee, Ravi Sawlani, Shyam Ranjan. 2019. Delineating sources of groundwater recharge and carbon in Holocene aquifers of central Gangetic basin using stable isotopic signatures. Isotopes in Environmental & Health Studies. 55(3): 254–271.
• Manoj Kumar, Ritu Nagdev, Ritu Tripathi, Virendra Singh, Prabhat Ranjan, Mohd Soheb, Ramanathan Alagappan. 2019. Geospatial and multivariate analysis of trace metals in tubewell water using for drinking purpose in the upper Gangetic basin, India: Heavy metal pollution index. Groundwater for Sustainable Development. 8: 122–133.
• Manoj Kumar, A.L. Ramanathan, Abhijit Mukherjee, Swati Verma, M.M. Rahman, Ravi Naidu. 2018. Hydrogeo-morphological influences for arsenic release and fate in the central Gangetic Basin, India. Environmental Technology & Innovation. 12: 243–260.
• Manoj Kumar, A.L. Ramanathan, Shyam Ranjan, V. B. Singh, Naveen Kumar, S.K. Yadav, M.S. Rao, Susie Ritch, Prosun Bhattacharya. 2018. Groundwater evolution and its utility in upper Ganges-Yamuna Alluvial plain of Northern India: Evidence from solute chemistry and stable isotopes. Groundwater for Sustainable Development. 7: 400–409.
• Manoj Kumar, A.L. Ramanathan. 2018. Vertical Geochemical Variations and Speciation Studies of As, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu in the Sediments of the Central Gangetic Basin: Sequential Extraction and Statistical Approach. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 15(2), 183.
• Manoj Kumar, A.L. Ramanathan, Ritu Tripathi, Sandhya Farswan, Devendra Kumar, Prosun Bhattacharya. 2017. A study of trace element contamination using multivariate statistical techniques and health risk assessment in groundwater of Chhaprola Industrial Area, Uttar Pradesh, India. Chemosphere. 166: 135–145.
• Dipankar Chakraborti et al. 2017. Groundwater arsenic contamination and its health effects in India. Hydrogeology Journal. 25(4): 1165–1181.
• Dash, Rajesh Kumar et al. 2017. Uranium in groundwater in India: A review. Journal of Applied Geochemistry. 19(2): 138–144.
• Manoj Kumar, A.L. Ramanathan, Mohammad Mahmudur Rahman, Ravi Naidu. 2016. Concentrations of inorganic arsenic in groundwater, agricultural soils and subsurface sediments from the middle Gangetic plain of Bihar, India. Science of the Total Environment. 573: 1103–1114.
• Manoj Kumar, M.M. Rahman, A.L. Ramanathan, Ravi Naidu. 2016. Arsenic and other elements in drinking water and dietary components from the middle Gangetic plain of Bihar, India: Health risk index. Science of the Total Environment. 539: 125–134.
• Alok Kumar, A.L. Ramanathan, M.B.K. Prasad, Dilip Datta, Manoj Kumar, Swati Mohan Sappal. 2016. Distribution, enrichment, and potential toxicity of trace metals in the surface sediments of Sundarban mangrove ecosystem, Bangladesh. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 23(9): 8985–8999.
• Goutam Kumar, Manoj Kumar, A.L. Ramanathan. 2015. Assessment of heavy metal contamination in surface sediments in the mangrove ecosystem of Gulf of Kachchh, India. Environmental Earth Sciences. 74(1): 545–556.
• Virendra Bahadur Singh, A.L. Ramanathan, Jose George Pottakkal, Manoj Kumar. 2015. Hydrogeochemistry of meltwater of the Chaturangi glacier, Garhwal Himalaya, India. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., India. 85(1): 187–195.
• Virendra Bahadur Singh, A.L. Ramanathan, Jose George Pottakkal, Manoj Kumar. 2014. Seasonal variation of solute and suspended sediment load in Gangotri glacier meltwater, central Himalaya, India. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences. 79: 224–234.
• Manoj Kumar, Sunil Kumar and Lovish. 2024. Statistical and Geospatial Assessment of Trace and Toxic Elements Distribution in Ground and Surface water of Northern Parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plains: Source Identification and Health Risk Assessment. Chemosphere. 364, 142990. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142990. ISSN: 0045-6535 [Elsevier] (IF 8.8).
• Shailesh Kumar Yadav, AL. Ramanathan a, Chidambaram Sabarathinam, Alok Kumar, Manoj Kumar, Anshula Dhiman. 2024. Understanding arsenic behavior in alluvial aquifers: Evidence from sediment geochemistry, solute chemistry and environmental isotopes. Geoscience Frontiers. 15, 101844, (IF 8.9) ISSN 2588-9192 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsf.2024.101844 [Elsevier] (IF 8.9).
• Shubham Kumar, Ritesh Kumar, Manoj Kumar, Alok Kumar Pandey, Prashant K. Srivastava, Sanchit Kumar, Varun Narayan Mishra, V. S. Arya. 2023. Spatio-temporal variability analysis of evapotranspiration, water use efficiency and net primary productivity in the semi-arid region of Aravalli and Siwalik range, India. Environment, Development and Sustainability. pp.1-22. (IF. 4.9) ISSN 1573-2975 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-023-04228-3. [Springer]
• Hooda, Deepti, Santosh Saraswat, Nikhil Gakkhar, and Manoj Kumar. 2023. Assessment of Solar-Biomass Power Potential in the State of Punjab, India. Advances in Science and Technology. 130 (2023): 173-179.
• Anoop Yadav, Neeraj Kumari, Rajesh Kumar, Manoj Kumar, Sushma Yadav. 2023. Fluoride distribution, contamination, toxicological effects and remedial measures: a review. Sustainable Water Resources Management. 9, 150, ISSN 2363-5045. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40899-023-00926-y (IF 2.1) [Springer]
• Piu Saha, Kundil kr Saikia, Manoj Kumar, Sumi Handique. 2023. Assessment of health risk and pollution load for heavy and toxic metal contamination from leachate in soil and groundwater in the vicinity of dumping site in Mid-Brahmaputra Valley, India. Total Environment Research Themes. 8, 100076, ISSN 2772-8099 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.totert.2023.100076 [Elsevier].
• Hemraj, and Manoj Kumar. 2022. GIS based surface elevation assessment of spring water quality of Shivalik Range of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Groundwater for Sustainable Development.16, 100851. doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2022.100851.
• Shailesh Kumar Yadav, AL. Ramanathan, Manoj Kumar, S. Chidambaram, Y. P. Gautam & C. Tiwari. 2020. Assessment of arsenic and uranium co-occurrences in groundwater of central Gangetic Plain, Uttar Pradesh, India. Environmental Earth Sciences 79, 154. doi.org/10.1007/s12665-020-8892-x.
• Virendra Bahadur Singh, Pritam Chand, Milap Chand Sharma, Ujjal Deka Baruah, Manoj Kumar, Naveen Kumar, AL. Ramanathan. 2020. Evaluation of Meltwater Quality Using Dissolved Ions Chemistry and Multivariate Statistical Methods: A Case Study of the Manimahesh Glacier, Ravi Basin, Himachal Pradesh, India. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., India, Sect. A Phys. Sci. 90, 57–66 DOI: doi.org/10.1007/s40010-018-0560-0.
• Manoj Kumar, AL. Ramanathan, Abhijit Mukherjee, Ravi Sawlani, Shyam Ranjan. 2019. Delineating sources of groundwater recharge and carbon in Holocene aquifers of central Gangetic basin using stable isotopic signatures. Isotopes in Environmental & Health Studies. 55 (3) 254-271. DOI: 10.1080/10256016.2019.1600515.
• Manoj Kumar, Ritu Nagdev, Ritu Tripathi, Virendra Singh, Prabhat Ranjan, Mohd Soheb, Ramanathan Alagappan. 2019. Geospatial and multivariate analysis of trace metals in tubewell water using for drinking purpose in the upper Gangetic basin, India: Heavy metal pollution index. Groundwater for Sustainable Development. 8, 122-133. DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2018.10.001.
• Manoj Kumar, AL. Ramanathan, Abhijit Mukherjee, Swati Verma, M.M. Rahman, Ravi Naidu. 2018. Hydrogeo-morphological influences for arsenic release and fate in the central Gangetic Basin, India. Environmental Technology & Innovation. 12, 243-260. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eti.2018.09.004.
• Manoj Kumar, AL. Ramanathan, Shyam Ranjan, V. B. Singh, Naveen Kumar, S.K. Yadav, M.S. Rao, Susie Ritch, Prosun Bhattacharya. 2018. Groundwater evolution and its utility in upper Ganges-Yamuna Alluvial plain of Northern India, India: Evidence from solute chemistry and stable isotopes. Groundwater for Sustainable Development. 7, 400-409. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2018.07.001).
• Manoj Kumar, AL. Ramanathan. 2018. Vertical Geochemical Variations and Speciation Studies of As, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu in the Sediments of the Central Gangetic Basin: Sequential Extraction and Statistical Approach. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 15(2), 183. (DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15020183). ISSN 1660-4601.
• Manoj Kumar, AL. Ramanathan, Ritu Tripathi, Sandhya Farswan, Devendra Kumar, Prosun Bhattacharya. 2017. A study of trace element contamination using multivariate statistical techniques and health risk assessment in groundwater of Chhaprola Industrial Area, Gautama Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, India. Chemosphere. 166; 135–145. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.09.086. ISSN: 0045-6535.
• Dipankar Chakraborti, Mohammad Mahmudur Rahman, Bhaskar Das, Amit Chatterjee, Dipankar Das, Biswajit Nayak, Arup Pal, Uttam Kumar Chowdhury, Sad Ahmed, Bhajan Kumar Biswas, Mrinal Kumar Sengupta, Md. Amir Hossain, Gautam Samanta, M.M. Roy, Rathindra Nath Dutta, Khitish Chandra Saha, Subhas Chandra Mukherjee, Shyamapada Pati, Probir Bijoy Kar, Adreesh Mukherjee, Manoj Kumar. 2017. Groundwater arsenic contamination and its health effects in India, Hydrogeology Journal. 25 (4); 1165–1181 (DOI: 10.1007/s10040-017-1556-6).
• Dash, Rajesh Kumar, A. L. Ramanathan, Shailesh Kumar Yadav, Manoj Kumar, T. Kuriakose, and Y. P. Gautam. 2017. Uranium in groundwater in India: A review. Journal of Applied Geochemistry, Hyderabad. 19 (2); 138–144.
• Manoj Kumar, AL. Ramanathan, Mohammad Mahmudur Rahman, Ravi Naidu. 2016. Concentrations of inorganic arsenic in groundwater, agricultural soils and subsurface sediments from the middle Gangetic plain of Bihar, India. Science of the Total Environment. 573; 1103–1114. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.08.109.
• Manoj Kumar, M.M. Rahman, AL. Ramanathan, Ravi Naidu. 2016. Arsenic and other elements in drinking water and dietary components from the middle Gangetic plain of Bihar, India: Health risk index. Science of the Total Environment. 539; 125–134. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.08.039.
• Alok Kumar, AL. Ramanathan, M. B. K. Prasad, Dilip Datta, Manoj Kumar, Swati Mohan Sappal. 2016. Distribution, enrichment, and potential toxicity of trace metals in the surface sediments of Sundarban mangrove ecosystem, Bangladesh: a baseline study before Sundarban oil spill of December, 2014. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 23, (9) 8985–8999.
• Goutam Kumar, Manoj Kumar, AL. Ramanathan. 2015. Assessment of heavy metal contamination in the surface sediments in the mangrove ecosystem of Gulf of Kachchh, West Coast of India. Environmental Earth Sciences, 74(1): 545-556. Online ISSN 1866-6299, DOI 10.1007/s12665-015-4062-y.
• Virendra Bahadur Singh, AL. Ramanathan, Jose George Pottakkal, Manoj Kumar. 2015. Hydrogeochemistry of meltwater of the Chaturangi glacier, Garhwal Himalaya, India. Springer, India, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India Section A: Physical Sciences. 85(1): 187–195.
• Virendra Bahadur Singh, AL. Ramanathan, Jose George Pottakkal, Manoj Kumar. 2014. Seasonal variation of the solute and suspended sediment load in Gangotri glacier meltwater, central Himalaya, India. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences. 79, 224–234. ISSN: 1367-9120. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jseaes.2013.09.010.

Book:

• Sughosh Madhav, Virendra Bahadur Singh, Manoj Kumar and Sandeep Singh. eds., 2022. Hydrogeochemistry of aquatic ecosystems. John Wiley & Sons.

• EES 633: Principles of Environmental Chemistry
• EES 646-Environmental Aquatic Chemistry
• EES407-Environmental Impact and Risk Assessment
• ICD208-Introdution to Environmental Science
• Courses Teaching at IISER Thiruvananthapuram
• EES 317 Laboratory 1
• Courses taught at Central University of Haryana
• SIAS EVS 01 01 01 C 4004-Fundamentals of Ecology
• SIAS EVS 01 01 02 C 4004-Biodiversity Conservation
• SIAS EVS 01 01 02 GE 4004-Regional and Global Environmental Issues
• SIAS EVS 01 01 01 GE 4004-Foundation Course in Ecology and Environment
• SIAS EVS 01 02 07 C 4004-Environmental Chemistry
• SIAS EVS 01 02 08 C 4004-Environmental Pollution and Control
• SIAS EVS 01 02 02 DCEC 4004-Forest and Wildlife Ecology
• SIAS EVS 01 03 12 C 4004-Physical Environment
• SIAS EVS 01 03 04 DCEC 4004-Water Quality Management
• SIAS EVS 01 04 17 C 4004-Research Methodology and Writing Skills
• EES 633: Principles of Environmental Chemistry
• EES 646-Environmental Aquatic Chemistry
• EES407-Environmental Impact and Risk Assessment
• ICD208-Introdution to Environmental Science

Career Highlights

Teaching Experience

• Apr 2025–till date: Assistant Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali.
• Sep 2024–Apr 2025: Assistant Professor (Grade-I), School of Earth, Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, IISER Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.
• Jun 2023–Sep 2023: Lecturer, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, IISER Mohali, Punjab, India.
• Aug 2016–Jun 2023: Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Studies, Central University of Haryana, Mahendergarh, Haryana, India.

Educational History

• 2012–2017: Ph.D. (Environmental Sciences), School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
• 2010–2012: M.Phil. (Environmental Sciences), School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.
• 2008–2010: M.Sc. (Environmental Sciences), School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University.
• 2005–2008: B.Sc. (Chemistry, Zoology and Botany), Ch. Charan Singh University, Meerut, India.

Awards & Recognitions

• Honored by India International Friendship Society with “Rashtriya Gaurav Award” along with Certificate of Excellence on 26th March 2018 in New Delhi.
• Recipient of Senior Research Fellowship (SRF) (July 2012 to July 2015), a national-level research fellowship from CSIR-UGC.
• Visiting Research Student at Environmental Risk Assessment & Remediation (CERAR), University of South Australia (UniSA), Australia (10th July 2013 to 10th November 2013), supported by Crawford Fund.
• Member of a consortium working on arsenic in groundwater; participated in ICDP workshop, Hanoi, Vietnam (24–28 April 2011), supported by US National Science Foundation.
• Secured rank 094/0264 in CSIR-UGC JRF (Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean & Planetary Sciences), December 2009.
• Qualified UGC-JRF in Environmental Sciences, December 2011 (Certificate No.: 112003159).
• Won Best Poster Presentation at national seminar on “Past and Present Geochemical Processes Impacts on Climate Change,” organized by SES, JNU, New Delhi (22–23 December 2015).

Our research team at IISER Mohali

Dr. Manoj Kumar chaired a technical session at Water Summit 2025–held on 20–21 November 2025 at MRIIRS, Faridabad.

Dr. Manoj Kumar served as a Coordinator at the Indian International Science Festival (IISF), organized by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), held in Panchkula, Haryana, from 06–09 December 2025.