Dr. Vimal Mishra is one of the leading hydrologists at the intersection of hydrology, water resources and land surface processes from the current generation in India. Following his Ph.D. in 2010, he was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Washington for 2 years. He could have secured an academic position in North America or Europe. However, after this tenure, he was determined to return to India and contribute to building the capacity of hydrology and water resources modeling, which India continues to need desperately. He started as an assistant professor at one of India’s young and vibrant institutions, the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, in 2012, where he is now an associate professor. His research focuses on three broad areas: understanding hydrologic processes through advanced land surface modeling; understanding the signatures of climate variability and change in the hydrology and climatology of the Indian subcontinent, especially floods and droughts; and developing tools for translating hydrologic research to operational monitoring and forecasts for flood and drought mitigation. Dr. Mishra continues to make significant contributions to advancing our understanding, modeling and prediction of hydrologic processes in general and monsoonal hydrology over the Indian subcontinent in particular, using cutting-edge land surface models for efficient management of water resources and engineering. He developed one of the first real-time drought monitors for South Asia and India. His pioneering efforts have significantly enhanced hydrologic modeling and forecast capabilities in the country. These focus areas are crucial for skillful management of water resources and mitigating the impacts of natural hazards, especially with limited and uncertain hydrologic observations. Not only is Vimal a top-notch researcher, but he is also a passionate teacher and mentor. He has mentored and published with several graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. They are well placed in academia and industry, which is a testament to his continued commitment to building India’s capacity in this area of critical need. The Devendra Lal Memorial Medal is to recognize significant contributions by a midcareer scientist belonging to and working in a developing country. Dr. Vimal Mishra embodies the spirit of this award perfectly through his impactful contributions aimed at socially important problems and mentoring of young scientists. His selection will motivate others in developing countries to have a similar impact on the scholarship of the field. It is a time of global transition in wealth and research, and this will be a fitting award to reinforce that trend in our field. I wish him continued success! 

— Balaji Rajagopalan University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, Colorado