ATREE Announces the Appointment of Dr. Nitin Pandit as the New Director

The Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) announced today the appointment of Dr. Nitin Pandit as the next director of the organization. The former CEO of the World Resources Institute (WRI) India, Dr. Pandit brings a wealth of experience in the private and public sectors to ATREE. Just two days ago, ATREE was again ranked among the top 20 environmental think tanks of the world by a University Pennsylvania group that annually ranks global think tanks.
 
“I am excited at the prospect of leading ATREE and positioning the research conducted at ATREE to achieve its full potential while building on the tremendous experience ATREE has in addressing the intractable problems arising out of the interaction between people and the environment,” said Dr. Pandit.
 

ATREE conducts research, educational activities, and policy analyses in three inter-related sectors of biodiversity, water, and climate change. “With his deep knowledge of major environmental challenges we are facing, Dr. Pandit is the right choice to lead ATREE in coming years,” said Dr. Kamal Bawa, President of ATREE.

Dr. Pandit replaces Dr. Kartik Shanker who served as the Director of ATREE for the last three years while on deputation from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). Dr. Shanker is returning to IISc as a faculty member.

Dr. Pandit has led a range of private and civil society organizations. As the first CEO of WRI India, Dr. Pandit launched the restoration programme and created partnerships with key institutions, such as NABARD, to facilitate scale-up across India. Dr. Pandit provided liaison and guidance for the Global Restoration Council as part of the Food, Forest and Water Programme in WRI, Washington DC.

Prior to his tenure at WRI, Dr. Pandit also served as President of the International Institute for Energy Conservation (IIEC), which implements novel sustainable energy approaches in developing countries through its offices across the globe.

“I hope ATREE will be able to considerably scale up its impact on policymaking and action on the ground under Dr. Pandit’s leadership,” said Ms. Rohini Nilekani, one of the trustees of ATREE.

Dr. Pandit has a Master’s degree in engineering and a doctorate in public policy.

For further information, contact:

Bangalore (Main) Office

Tel: +91 80 2363 5555 

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