"Neglect in protecting our heritage of natural resources could prove extremely harmful for the human race and for all species that share common space on planet earth. Indeed, there are many lessons in human history which provide adequate warning about the chaos and destruction that could take place if we remain guilty of myopic indifference to the progressive erosion and decline of nature's resources" - Dec. 10, 2007 - Nobel Prize Lecture.

Dr Rajendra K Pachauri was born in Nainital, India, on 20 August 1940. He assumed responsibilities as the head of Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI ) in 1981, first as Director and, from April 2001, as Director-General. The institute was renamed The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in 2003. TERI does original work and provides professional support in the areas of energy, environment, forestry, biotechnology, and the conservation of natural resources to government departments, institutions, and corporate organizations worldwide. On 20th April, 2002, Dr Pachauri assumed his position as Chairman of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a body jointly established in 1988 by World Meteorological Organization and United Nations Environment Programme. He has been active in several international forums dealing with the subject of climate change and its policy dimensions. To acknowledge his immense contribution to the field of environment, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan -- one of India's highest civilian awards that recognizes distinguished service of a high order to the nation in any field (January 2001).

Commencing his career with the Diesel Locomotive Works, Varanasi, where he held several managerial positions, Dr Pachauri joined the North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA, where he obtained an MS in Industrial Engineering in 1972, a PhD in Industrial Engineering and a PhD in Economics, and also served as Assistant Professor (August 1974 -- May 1975) and Visiting Faculty Member (Summer 1976 and 1977) in the Department of Economics and Business.

On his return to India, he joined the Administrative Staff College of India, Hyderabad, as Member Senior Faculty (June 1975 -- June 1979) and went on to become Director, Consulting and Applied Research Division (July 1979 -- March 1981). He joined TERI as Director in April 1981.

He has also been a Visiting Professor, Resource Economics at the College of Mineral and Energy Resources, West Virginia University (August 1981 -- August 1982); Senior Visiting Fellow, Resource Systems Institute, East -- West Center, USA (May -- June 1982); and Visiting Research Fellow, The World Bank, Washington, DC (June -- September 1990). Recognising his vast knowledge and experience in the energy -- environment field, the United Nations Development Programme appointed him as a part time Adviser in the fields of Energy and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, 1994 -- 1999.

His wide-ranging expertise has resulted in his being invited to join various international and national committees and boards, which on the international level include Member, Board of the International Solar Energy Society (ISES), 1991 -- 1997; Member, World Resources Institute (WRI) Council, 1992; Chairman, Work Group A -- World Energy Council (WEC) Committee on Developing Countries, 1993 -- 1995; President (1988), Chairman (1989 -- 90), International Association for Energy Economics (IAEE), Washington, D C .; President, Asian Energy Institute, 1992 onwards.

Committees of the Government of India which he has served include Member, Panel of Eminent Persons on Power, Ministry of Power; Member, Delhi Vision -- Core Planning Group; Member, Advisory Board on Energy (ABE), Government of India, 1983 -- 1988 (The Board reported directly to the Prime Minister of India); Member, National Environmental Council, Government of India under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister of India, November 1993 and April 1999; Member, Oil Industry Restructuring Group, "R" Group, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India, 1994.

He has also served on academic and research institute bodies including Member, Board of Governors, Trireme Scientific & Industrial Research Foundation, September 1987; Member, Executive Committee of the India International Center, 1985 onwards; Member, Governing Council of the India Habitat Center, New Delhi, October 1987 onwards; Member, Court of Governors, Administrative Staff College of India, 1979 -- 81.

In January 1999, Dr R K Pachauri was appointed as Director, Board of Directors of the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (a Fortune 500 company) for a period of 3 years.

In April 1999, Dr R K Pachauri was appointed as the Member, Board of Directors of the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Environment Agency, Government of Japan, for a period of 3 years.

In September 1999, Dr R K Pachauri was appointed as the Chairman, The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Heritage Foundation, Darjeeling.

He taught at the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, Yale University, USA, as McCluskey Fellow during 6 September -- 8 December 2000.

In July 2001, Dr R K Pachauri was appointed Member, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India.

He has also authored 21 books and several papers and articles

The Pauchauri-led IPCC shared the 2007 Nobel Prize with the former Vice President of United States, Al Gore:

"for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change"

The award was given on October 12, 2007. Al Gore and Pachauri accepted the Prize for 2007 in Oslo, Norway on December 10, 2007.

You may want to read: Nobel Prize Lecture by Rajendra Pachauri

(Sources: Wikipedia; Nobel Prize website)