Prof. Balamurugan Guru | Hazards and Landslide Mapping | Best Researcher Award

Professor at Central University of Tamil Nadu, India

Dr. Guru Balamurugan is a Professor and Head of the Department of Geology at the Central University of Tamil Nadu, with over two decades of research experience and 16 years in academia. He is a distinguished expert in groundwater modeling, geospatial technologies, and disaster risk management. His work bridges academic rigor with practical applications, including sustainable water resource management, climate change impact assessments, and geoinformatics in disaster resilience. Dr. Balamurugan has led multiple national and international research projects, published extensively, and contributed to curriculum development and laboratory establishment at leading Indian institutions.

Publication Profile

Scopus

Orcid

Educational Background

Certificate in Water Resource (2016) – ITC, Twente University, The Netherlands
Ph.D. in Hydrogeology (Groundwater Modeling) (2008) – IIT Bombay, India
M.Tech in Remote Sensing (2003) – CERS, Bharathidasan University, Trichy
PG Diploma in Hydrogeology (2001) – Annamalai University
M.Sc. in Applied Geology (1999) – National College, Bharathidasan University
B.Sc. in Geology (1997) – National College, Bharathidasan University

Professional Experience

Professor & Head (June 2023–present) – Dept. of Geology, Central University of Tamil Nadu (CUTN)
Associate Professor (2020–2023) – CUTN, Founder Head of Department of Geology
Chairperson (2012–2020) – Centre for Geoinformatics, TISS, Mumbai
Associate Professor (2017–2020) – Centre for Geoinformatics, TISS
Assistant Professor (2008–2017) – TISS, Jamsetji Tata School of Disaster Studies
Research Fellow (2003–2004) – ISRO-funded project on groundwater systems
Groundwater Consultant (1999–2000) – Conducted geophysical surveys in South India

Research Interests

Groundwater exploration, modeling & sustainable water resource management
Application of Remote Sensing & GIS in hydrogeology and disaster management
Climate change impact assessments on water resources
Natural disaster mapping, risk analysis & early warning systems
Integration of geoinformatics in urban planning and resilience building

Awards and Honors

IRO, TISS Fellowship – Study at ITC, The Netherlands (2016)
Max Planck-TISS Research Grant – Urban Aspirations Study (2013)
DAAD Fellowship (Germany) – Research on groundwater modeling (2006–07)
AICTE-NDF Scholarship – Ph.D. at IIT Bombay (2004–08)
Student Research Grant – TN State Council for Science & Technology (1999)
Qualified UPSC Geologist Examination – 2008
Qualified State Eligibility Test (SET) – 2006

Conclusion

Dr. Guru Balamurugan stands as a leading geoscientist integrating hydrogeology, geoinformatics, and disaster studies to address critical challenges in water security and environmental sustainability. His career reflects a strong dedication to both academic excellence and community impact through research, teaching, and policy contributions. With multiple fellowships, leadership roles, and international exposure, he continues to shape the future of earth sciences and disaster risk management in India and beyond.

Publications

Enhancing evacuation shelter suitability in compound hazard-prone regions with a Bayesian optimized convolutional neural network approach
International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction
2025-03
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2025.105306
Somnath Bera, Swapan Talukdar, Kim-Anh Nguyen, Yuei-An Liou, Balamurugan Guru, Ranit Chatterjee, G V Ramana

Sustainable tourism, livelihood and coastal governance: Chilika lake, India
Ocean & Coastal Management
2024-07
DOI: 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2024.107128
Biswanath Dash, Balamurugan Guru

Assessment of shelter location-allocation for multi-hazard emergency evacuation
International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction
2023-01
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.103435
Somnath Bera, Kaushal Gnyawali, Kshitij Dahal, Raquel Melo, Miao Li-Juan, Balamurugan Guru, G V Ramana

Earthquake and flood resilience through spatial planning in the complex urban system
Progress in Disaster Science
2022-04
DOI: 10.1016/j.pdisas.2022.100219
Sujata Kodag, Shibu K. Mani, Guru Balamurugan, Somnath Bera

A Study on Solar and Green House Gas Mitigation Potential in India using AHP and Geospatial Technology
International Journal of Renewable Energy Research
2021
DOI: 10.20508/ijrer.v11i1.11758.g8132
Balamurugan Guru

Shoreline Changes Analysis and Forecast Using DSAS 5.0: East Coast of India
Journal of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing
2021-11
DOI: 10.1007/s12524-021-01424-4
Gopal Barik, Balamurugan Guru, Francis Sangma

Assessment of exposed elements in a changing built environment using debris flow models (Kalimpong, Himalaya)
Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment
2021-09
DOI: 10.1007/s10064-021-02352-w
Somnath Bera, Raquel Melo, Balamurugan Guru

Natech guide words: A new approach to assess and manage Natech risk for business continuity
Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries
2021-09
DOI: 10.1016/j.jlp.2021.104564
Dr. Sachin Damle, Shibu K. Mani, Guru Balamurugan

Landslide inventory and susceptibility models using deep learning: Himalayas, India
Natural Hazards
2021-08
DOI: 10.1007/s11069-021-04731-8
Somnath Bera, Vaibhav Kumar Upadhyay, Balamurugan Guru, Thomas Oommen

Integrated multi-criteria analysis for groundwater potential mapping (North Gujarat, India)
Hydrological Sciences Journal
2021-04-26
DOI: 10.1080/02626667.2021.1906427
Rudra Mohan Pradhan, Balamurugan Guru, Pradhan B, Tapas Kumar Biswal

Balamurugan Guru | Hazards and Landslide Mapping | Best Researcher Award