# Ajay Kalamdhad

Ajay Kamaldhad is a professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati. He is recognized for his contributions to environmental engineering, with a particular focus on solid waste management, water and wastewater treatment, mechanical composting, vermicomposting, and anaerobic digestion.

## Early life and education

Ajay Kamaldhad completed his Bachelor of Engineering (BE) in Civil Engineering from Government Engineering College, Jabalpur, India, in 2001. He pursued his Master of Technology (M.Tech.) in Civil Engineering at Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur, India, graduating in 2003. He obtained his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Civil Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee in 2008.

## Academic career

Kamaldhad began his career as a Project Assistant at National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur in 2003. From 2004 to 2005, he was a Research intern in Physical Research Laboratory. He joined as a Lecturer at VNIT, Nagpur, in 2008 before joining IIT Guwahati in 2009 as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2014 and later to Professor in 2019. Kamaldhad has made significant contributions to teaching and research in environmental engineering during his tenure at IIT Guwahati.

## Research interests

Kamaldhad’s research primarily focuses on:
* Solid waste management.
* Mechanical composting and vermicomposting
* Anaerobic digestion
* Water and wastewater treatment
* Biosorption
* Microbiology of composting
* Solid waste analysis
He is particularly known for his work on sustainable waste management practices and innovative methods for wastewater treatment, contributing to the development of environmentally friendly technologies.

## Research contributions

Kamaldhad has authored numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals and conferences, with many of his works contributing to advancements in environmental management. He has also been involved in multiple funded research projects from national agencies like the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Department of Science and Technology (DST), and the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDW&S), Government of India.

### Waste Management Research Group (WMRG)

The Waste Management Research Group (WMRG) is a research group based at the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, under the supervision of Ajay S. Kalamdhad and Meena Khwairakapam. The group focuses on various research areas related to waste management, including biological treatment of organic wastes, organic pollutants, and heavy metals in liquid and solid wastes, as well as modelling, monitoring, and assessment of surface and groundwater quality.
Research Groups
* Compost Group
* Anaerobic Digestion Group
* Solid Waste Group
* Water Group
The WMRG's vision is to transform "Waste into Wealth," contributing to environmental sustainability. The WMRG also organizes an international conference called "RECYCLE" bi-annually, which has been successfully held in 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2023.

## Awards and honours

Kamaldhad has received various awards throughout his career in recognition of his contributions to environmental engineering, including:
* ISTE- GSITS national award for best research by young teachers (below 35 years) of engineering colleges for the year 2012” from Indian Society for Technical Education.
* "IEI Young Engineers Award 2011-2012” in Environmental Engineering discipline from Institute of Engineers India.
Kamaldhad is an active member of several professional bodies, including:
* Member, Editorial Board, International Journal of Environmental Science, Integrated Publishing Association.
* Member, Advisory Board, Global Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, Grace and Peace Welfare Society, India.
* Member, Editorial Advisory Board, International Journal of Environmental Engineering Research (IJEER), Research Publishing Group, India.