Dr. Maruthadu Sudhakar has 37 years of experience in Oceanography and the Law of the Sea, beginning in 1982 (Positions/Career shown in reverse order). He is representing India in various organs of the United Nations.
Dr. Sudhakar has earned his Ph.D. in Applied Geology (Marine Geology and Seabed Resources), at the Indian Institute of Technology (ISM), Dhanbad.
Education
- Ph.D (1994) in Applied Geology (Marine Geology and Seabed Resources), Indian Institute of Technology (ISM), Dhanbad, India
- Master of Science (1990) in Law of the Sea, Economics & Marine Policy, The London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE), University of London, United Kingdom.
- Master of Science Technology (1981) in Applied Geology, Indian Institute of Technology (ISM), Dhanbad. First Class Distinction.
Fields of Specialization
- Applied Geology with special reference to deep-sea mineral exploration
- Marine Mineral Resource Estimation and Marine Environment
- Survey and Exploration of Polymetallic Nodules in Indian Ocean
- Multi-disciplinary Oceanography of the Indian Ocean including its marginal seas (Andaman Sea) and the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean, Antarctic Sea and their environment
- Seismic and Bathymetric Mapping for the Delineation of Legal Continental Shelf of India
- Mapping Bathymetry of Exclusive Economic Zone of India using Multibeam Swath Bathymetry
- Management of deep-sea research vessels owned by the Ministry of Earth Sciences and Chartered Vessels; and the related scientific and other support systems
- Delineation of major nodule deposits in Central Indian Basin and demarcation of potential areas for First generation mine-sites
- Intra-Plate Volcanism–Relation between pumice rocks and Potential Nodule resources in Indian Ocean
- Hydrothermal Mineralization—Relation between Zeolite deposits, Nodules and Volcanics in Central Indian Ocean Basin
- Genesis of Ferromanganese Cobalt-rich Crusts in Afinasy-Nikitin Seamount, Indian Ocean
- Investigations on Australasian micro and mini tektites in Indian Ocean, the first terrestrial analogs identified akin to lunar microcraters; the studies of impact microcraters on microtektites
- Mapping the seabed and charting the bathymetry of Prydz Bay area for approach channel in the Larsemann Hills, East Antarctica for the establishment of India’s third permanent station in Antarctica
- Expert in Law of the Sea, representing in various organs of the United Nations as Chief Negotiatior/Member/Leader and Head of the delegation since 1987 in sea-bed marine non-living and living resources (eg. International Seabed Authority, United Nations International Legally binding instrument on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological Resources Beyond National Jurisdication, Commission on Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources)
Academic Career
- 2019–2014 Director, Centre for Marine Living Resources & Ecology (Ministry of Earth Sciences, Govt. of India), Kochi; Short term Director, National Centre for Earth Science Studies, Trivandrum
- 2014—2009 Advisor and Scientist G, Ministry of Earth Sciences (Govt. of India), New Delhi
- 2009—2001 Scientist F/G/ Group Director, National Centre for Antarctic & Ocean Research (NCAOR), Goa
- 2001–1997 Principal Scientific Officer/Group Director, National Centre for Antarctic & Ocean Research (NCAOR), Goa
- 1997-1983 Scientist B/C/E-I CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Goa
Publications
Membership of Professional Societies
- Life Member, Ocean Society of India
- Fellow, Geological Society of India
- Executive Member, Indian Geological Congress
- Life Member, Indian Science Congress
- Life Member, Indian Institute of Mineral Engineers
- Life Member, Mining Engineers’ Association of India
- Fellow, The Society of Earth Scientists
- Fellow, A.P. Academy of Sciences
- Fellow, Indian Geophysical Union
- Fellow, Indian Association of Applied Geochemists
- Fellow, Climate Change Research Institute (CCRI),
Publications
- Total over 200 Publications (around 120 in Standard referred journals) including Conference Proceedings/ Seminar/ Symposia
- Edited Five books and published Chapters in Six books (Springer, TERI and Lights Foundation)
- Edited Special issue of Journal of Applied Geochemistry (March, 2012) on “Applied Geochemistry in Marine Sciences: Current and Future Trends”, and
- Edited Special Section of Current Science (November, 2010) on “Indian Contribution in Southern Ocean”