डा. लक्ष्मण सिंह राठौड़ : शख्सियत परिचय

डा.लक्ष्मण सिंह जी राठौड़ से अक्सर सामाजिक चिंतन बैठकों में मिलना हो जाता है| मेरे सहित कई सामाजिक कार्यकर्ताओं से वे अपने आवास पर नियमित रूप से मिलते रहते है इन बैठकों में आप सामान विचारधारा रखने वाले विभिन्न क्षेत्रों में अलग-अलग व्यक्तिगत रूप से सामाजिक कार्य करने वाले लोगों को आपसी तालमेल कर मिलजुल कर सामाजिक कार्य करने हेतु प्रेरित करते रहते है| साथ ही अपनी तरफ से हर तरह का सक्रीय सहयोग भी करते है| मैं जब जब डा. साहब से मिला हूँ मैंने उनके मन में समाज के प्रति दर्द व गिरते सामाजिक मूल्यों के प्रति गहरी चिंता व पीड़ा साफ महसूस की है|
देश की वर्तमान राजनैतिक परिस्थितयों से भी आपका मन उद्वेलित है पर चूँकि आप सरकारी सेवा में है अत: वर्तमान राजनैतिक दलों व राजनीति पर कोई टिप्पणी नहीं करते|

सेवा निवृति के बाद आपका सामाजिक कार्यों खासकर राजस्थान में कृषि कार्यों को बढ़ावा देने व कृषकों को कृषि के पारंपरिक तरीकों के साथ आधुनिक तरीके अपनाकर ज्यादा से ज्यादा उपज लेने के लिए प्रेरित व प्रशिक्षित करने के कार्य में अपना पुरा समय व्यतीत करने का इरादा है| राजस्थान में कृषि कार्यों को बढ़ावा देने से एक तरफ किसानों की आय बढ़ेगी वहीं पानी की कमी के चलते राजस्थान की कृषि पैदावार की उपज भी बढ़ेगी|
आईये आज परिचय करते है सीधे व सरल स्वभाव के मृदुभाषी व सामाजिक कार्यों के लिए तत्पर रहने वाले डा.लक्ष्मण सिंह जी राठौड़ का -

नागौर जिले के सुखवासी गांव में 4 जुलाई 1954 को ठाकुर चैनसिंह जी राठौड़ के घर जन्में डा. लक्ष्मण सिंह राठौड़ ने अपनी प्राथमिक शिक्षा की शुरुआत अपने ननिहाल फलोदी के पास टेपू गांव में रहते हुए शुरू की| बालपन में श्री राठौड़ को प्राथमिक शिक्षा के लिए स्कूल पहुँचने हेतु छ: से सात किलमीटर पैदल चलना पड़ता था| ग्रामीण परिवेश से शिक्षा की शुरुआत करने वाले डा. लक्ष्मण सिंह जी राठौड़ अपनी लगन, मेहनत व कर्तव्य निष्ठा के बल पर आज भारत के मौसम विभाग के प्रमुख है| आप संयुक्त राष्ट्र संघ में Commission of Agriculture Meteorology (CAgM), World Meteorological Organization (WMO) के उपाध्यक्ष भी रह चुकें है| आपने आजतक जिन पदों पर रहते हुए देश की सेवा व सामाजिक कार्य किये उनका विवरण निम्न है--

Dr L.S.Rathore is Director General of Meteorology, India Meteorological Department, Ministry of Earth Sciences New Delhi. He is former Vice President of Commission for Agriculture Meteorology (CAgM), World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and presently on its management board. He has played a key role in development of Integrated Agro-Meteorological Service in the country. He participated in IIIrd Indian Scientific expedition to Antarctica in 1983-84 which set up first Indian base station on the south polar region.

Born on 4th July 1954 at village sukhwasi, District-Nagaur, Rajasthan, to Shri Chain Singh Ji and mother Smt. Har Kunwar.

EDUCATIONAL:

• Primary education; at village in rural environment,
• Secondary education; Chopasani school, Jodhpur,
• Bachelor degree; Bhupal Nobles College, Udaipur, (first class),
• Master degree; Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur, (first position),
• Doctorate degree; Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur

PROFESSIONAL:

• 1980; Joined Indian Meteorological Services as Meteorologist with first rank in UPSC exam,
• 1983-84; Participated in Indian Scientific expedition to Antarctica as leader of Meteorological team and set up India’s first permanent station ‘Dakshin Gangotri’,
• 1989; Joined Department of Science & Technology as Principal Scientific Officer,
• 1994; Selected as Director in Ministry of Science & Technology,
• 2000; Promoted as Advisor in Ministry of Science & Technology,
• 2006; Elected as Vice-President, Commission of Agriculture Meteorology (CAgM), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), United Nations,
• 2007; Appointed as Additional Director General of Meteorology, India Meteorological Department, Ministry of Earth Sciences,
• 2008; Conferred Fellowship by Indian Meteorological Society for distinguished work in promoting meteorological service in country,
• 2009; Elected as President Indian Meteorological Society,
• 2011; Elected as President Association of Agrometeorologists,
• 2012; Selected as Director General of Meteorology, India Meteorological Department,

After obtaining his PhD in Soil Science (Agriculture) from University of Udaipur, he joined IMD, in the year 1980, as Meteorologist Grade II. At Agriculture Meteorology Division, IMD, Pune, he served as Meteorologist-in-Charge of Evapotranspiration, Evaporation, Agrometeorological Research and Desert Locust Meteorology units. Besides carrying out research and developmental work he managed all India net work of stations on above mentioned areas.

He became Principal Scientific Officer in Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, in the year 1989. Subsequently, he became Director and was appointed as Head, Application Division of National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF). As Head of Division, he played key role to set up medium range weather forecast based agro-meteorological advisory service (AAS). The collaborative service, functioning at agro-climatic zone scale, was made operational under his guidance. He became Advisor/Scientist-G in the year 2000 and continued to work on application of weather forecast in various sectors, primarily the agriculture.

He was appointed as Additional Director General & Head, Agriculture Meteorology Division of India Meteorological Department in 2007 and played a key role in development of district level Agro-meteorological Advisory service, which was put in operation by IMD from monsoon 2008. Under this, a network of 130 Agro Meteorological Field Units (AMFUs) was set up in the country. The service is rendered in close collaboration with Indian Council of Agricultural Research, State Agricultural Universities, State Agricultural Departments, NGOs etc.

He has significantly contributed through working on various committees. He was Chairman of the committee constituted by Ministry of Earth Sciences to reorganize the AAS involving all the stakeholders. He advises Crop Weather Watch Group, Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Government of India, on medium range weather forecast and its application in agriculture.

He has over three decades of experience of conducting and guiding R&D work in the area of Soil Science, Agriculture Meteorology and Weather Forecasting. He has published about 100 research papers. Beside these, he has co-edited seven books and written chapters in 24 books.

He has been recognized by Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi Guru Jambheshwar University, Hisar and Andhra University, Waltair to guide extra mural research and supervised four students for award of PhD degree. He is on panel of Advisory Board/examiner for Post Graduate students of Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, Banares Hindu University, Varanasi, Indian Agriculture Research Institute, New Delhi, Andhra University, Guru Jambheshwar University, Hisar, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri & Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur.

He has organized a number of trainings and taught Agriculture Meteorology, weather forecasting and its application in farm management. Also, he has served as guest lecturer/ resource person in a number of training programs, workshops, symposia, SERC Schools, Winter/Summer Schools of ICAR etc.

Beside above, served on many committees, including governing councils of institutions, scientific societies;
• Chairman, Governing Council, SAARC Meteorological Research Centre, Dhaka,
• Member, Management Group CAgM, WMO, United Nations,
• Member, Brahmputra Board,
• Member, Governing Council, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Service, Hyderabad
• Chief Editor, Mausam (Indian Journal of Meteorology)
• Chief Editor Vayu Mandal (Journal of Indian Meteorological Society)
• Guest editor of many scientific journals including, Defense Science Journal, Natural Hazards, Journal of Agrometeorology, International Journal of Climatology, Climatic Change.
• Served a large number of national and international committees,
• Member, Earth System Sciences Organisation Council,
• Member, Governing Council for Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology,
• Member, Governing Council of Indian Institute of Geomagnetism,
• Member, Scientific Council of National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting,
• Member, International Advisory Panel, Earth System Science Organization,
• Member, Scientific Advisory Council, MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai,
• Set-up medium range weather forecast based agriculture advisory service system in country which is bestowed up on many awards and appreciations,
• Worked as Visiting Scientist at University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA,
• Chairman, Positional Astronomy Centre, Kolkata
• Chairman, Technical Monitoring & Evaluation Committee for programs under MULTI HAZARD EARLY WARNING SUPPORT INTERFACES,
• Served on many recruitment committees for Government of India and Universities including IITs,
• Visited about two dozen countries for professional work. Also, he was visiting scientist at University of Nebraska, USA,
• Steered/participated many scientific programs related to application of meteorology in agriculture,
• SOCIAL SECTOR:
• Past Secretary General, Rajputana Samaaj, New Delhi,
• Past President Shramdeep Sehkari Awas Samiti,
• President Kendriya Mantralaya Welfare Housing Society.