PREFACE

This report on progress in Indian Geography is a modest attempt at projecting the state of the art as perceived by a group of scholars who have collaborated with me in this venture. Needless to mention, opinions tend to vary, depending upon who is writing the report on the state of affairs in a particular branch of study. Some have been quite happy and optimistic about the efforts made in a particular branch of study in geography; others feel disappointed and look forward to more concerted efforts to be made by geographers in India to bring the branch of study to a desired level of international standard. No attempt however has been made in this report to raise controversial issues or project the image of a certain school of thought. The report was designed to focus on the most productive areas of research in different branches of geography and to find out emerging areas of research in the light of the changes taking place in global as well as in Indian physical, economic, social and political space. Effort was made to be as comprehensive as possible, but despite best efforts some areas could not be covered due to lack of response.

The various sections of the report have been authored by professional colleagues who were extremely kind to spare their valuable time in writing the essays in spite of paucity of time and other nagging responsibilities. These contributions are given below:

Section Author

A Geographical Mosaic of Incredible India : R.B.Singh

Resource and Environment : R.B.Singh

Geomorphology : S.R.Jog

Climatology, Soil Geography and Bio-Geography : A.K.Bora

Agriculture : Abani K.Bhagabati

Industry : Praveen G. Saptarshi

Population : N.C. Jana and Sudesh Nangia

Population Change and Migration : Bimal K.Kar

Settlement : Surendra Singh

Urbanisation : H.N.Misra

Regional Development and Planning : A.C.Mohapatra and Nabanita Kanungo

Historical Geography : Rana P.B. Singh and Ravi S. Singh

Social Geography : Debendra Kumar Nayak

Cultural Geography : Rana P.B. Singh and Ravi S. Singh

Gender : Anindita Datta

Health : Jayashree De

Social Transformation and Wellbeing : Niladri Ranjan Dash

Political Geography : Sudeepta Adhikari

Administrative Geography : Surya Kant

Application of Remote Sensing Techniques and GIS : R.B.Singh

The Report has been organized into nine broad themes apart from an introductory section on Geographical Mosaic of India: The Lithosphere, Hydrosphere and the Atmosphere; Interpretation of Economic Phenomena; Interpretation of Demographic Phenomena; Urbanisation; Regional Development and Planning; Historical Geography; Interpretation of Social Phenomena; Interpretation of Political Phenomena and Methodological Issues. Reviews of research may occasionally reflect individual viewpoints or likes and dislikes. These were unavoidable. These aberrations however do not in any manner undermine the basic thrust of getting an overall impression about the progress that Indian Geography has made during the past four years.

Shillong Debendra Kumar Nayak
July 10, 2008 Member, National Committee of the IUGG and IGU