Sekhar Lukose Kuriakose

Dr. Sekhar L. Kuriakose has been serving the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) since 2011, transforming it from a small, underfunded organization into one of India’s top five disaster management authorities, as recognized by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Under his leadership, KSDMA expanded from three members to a multidisciplinary team of thirty professionals, established the Kerala State Emergency Operations Centre and District Emergency Operations Centres in all 14 districts, and constructed a state-of-the-art disaster-resilient building in Thiruvananthapuram. He has overseen response and relief operations for major disasters including the Kerala Floods 2018, Cyclone Ockhi, statewide droughts, and industrial accidents, while also pioneering India’s first disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction programme.

Dr. Kuriakose holds a Doctorate in Landslide Modelling from Utrecht University, an M.Sc in Geoinformation Science and Earth Observation from University of Twente, and an M.Sc in Applied Geography from the University of Madras. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and reports, and contributed to international initiatives with FAO, UNEP, and Harvard FXB Centre. He currently leads multiple developmental projects funded by UNDP, UNICEF, UN Habitat, and SPHERE India, and represents the Government of Kerala on several national and international disaster management committees. His contributions have earned him recognition from both the Government of India and the US State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Programme.