Mrutyunjay Mohapatra

Third Vice-President of the WMO

Mrutyunjay Mohapatra was elected Third Vice-President of WMO by the nineteenth World Meteorological Congress in 2023 for a four-year term beginning immediately after the closure of the Congress-19. This is his first term as Third Vice-President of WMO.

Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra is currently the Director General of Meteorology at the India Meteorological Department and the Permanent Representative of India with WMO.

With 30 years of experience in the field of meteorology, Dr Mohapatra contributed to many WMO activities:

Tropical Cyclone Programme (TCP)

  • Improved cyclone warning services to 13 WMO/ESCAP Panel member countries with a reduction in track & intensity forecast errors by 25% and landfall errors by 40-70% upto 72 hrs period during 2018-22 compared to 2013-17
  • Annual update of the Tropical Cyclone Operational Plan (TCP-21) for the region as Rapporteur since 2014
  • Chief Editor of Annual Cyclone Review since 2014
  • Conducted training for cyclone forecasters of PTC and Typhoon Committee countries since 2005
  • Delivered lectures to trainees in International Training Programmes
  • Developed synergized SOP for coastal hazards for WMO/ESCAP Panel on TCs and typhoon committee
  • Rapporteur to finalise 169 names based on suggestions of 13 WMO/ESCAP panel member countries in 2019 implemented since 2020

Severe Weather Forecasting Programme (SWFP)

  • Conceived and implemented SWFP-South Asia as Head of RSMC, New Delhi to provide services to 9 member countries
  • Prepared the Regional Sub–Project Implementation Plan for WMO SWFP-South Asia
  • Planned, organized and delivered lectures during training programmes and workshops on severe weather forecasting

Chairman of WMO Committees

  • WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones (2017-18)
  • Regional Sub-project Management Team of SWFP-South Asia
  • Executive Council, South Asia Hydromet Forum
  • WMO RA II task Team for review of regional partnership and sub-regional cooperation (TT-RP)
  • Evaluation Committee for WMO Young Scientist Award

Expert Member of WMO Committees

  • International Organising Committee for 8th & 9th International Workshop on Tropical Cyclones (IWTC)
  • WMO's working groups for IWTC-8 on various aspects of Tropical Cyclone and Evaluation Committee
  • WMO's working groups for the 3rd & 4th International workshop on tropical cyclone landfall processes (IWTCLP)
  • Expert team on climate impact on tropical cyclones
  • Executive Council of Panel of Experts on Polar & High Mountain Observations
  • Research & Services
  • Member of SWFP-South East Asia Development of strategy document for Regional Planning and Partnership
  • Development of strategy document for Regional Planning and Partnership Capacity Building
  • Capacity Building
  • Evaluation Committee for International Meteorological Organisation (IMO) Prize
  • WMO Committee for selection of Väisälä Award-2021
Mrutyunjay Mohapatra