Dr. Manish Kumar

Dr. Manish Kumar, formerly leading the Sustainability Cluster at UPES's School of Advanced Engineering, is renowned for his groundbreaking work in environmental engineering and wastewater surveillance. In May 2020, his team achieved India's first detection of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material in wastewater, marking a significant milestone in the country's pandemic response efforts . This pioneering work demonstrated the potential of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) as an early warning system for COVID-19 outbreaks. Beyond this, Dr. Kumar's extensive research encompasses the fate and remediation of various contaminants in freshwater systems, contributing to advancements in environmental sustainability and public health.