Ashok Kumar Singhvi received MSc from Jodhpur University and PhD (Nuclear Physics) (1976) from IIT Kanpur. He was Postdoctoral Fellow in the Geosciences Group at the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), joined there as Research Associate and presently continuing there as Outstanding Scientist and Dean. His work at PRL marked a distinct change from hyperfine interaction, Moessbauer spectroscopy and nuclear reactions to luminescence spectroscopy of minerals, geochronology and paleoclimatology. He has been a Ford Foundation Fellow (Oxford and St. Louis); A.v. Humboldt Fellow (Heidelberg), Lever hulme Fellow (Sheffield), DFG Professor (Freiberg), Academy Professor (Sao Paulo) and Visiting Professor (USGS Denver).

Academic and Research Achievements: Singhvi established an internationally acclaimed luminescence dating laboratory in India and contributed extensively to the paleoclimate studies in India. He pioneered the luminescence dating of desert sands and provided an understanding of the time evolution of deserts across the world. His work has changed many conventional concepts dealing with the interpretation of sediment record vis-a-vis climate. He has pioneered several other applications of this method to deserts sequences, earth quake geochronology and glaciers. He also used geological sequences to elucidate aspects of interaction of radiation with matter and of luminescence dating methodology. He has authored over 160 articles in peer reviewed journals, edited/authored about 12 conference proceedings/books including two INSA reports to the International Union of Geological Sciences. He also supervised 11 PhD students.

Other Contributions: Dr Singhvi has helped establish nine luminescence dating laboratories in India and four overseas. He led two International Geological Correlation Programmes (IGCP 349 and 413) for UNESCO, dealing with deserts, paleomonsoons and evolution. He played a key role towards Indian membership to INQUA and was the leader of Indian delegation to IUGS in 2004 and 2008. He is on the Editorial boards of six international journals. He is also serving as INSA Council Member (2006- ). He has been Member of the Science Programme Committee of UN sponsored International Year of Planet Earth and of the Executive Board of the Scientific Steering Committee of IGBP- PAGES core project.

Awards and Honours: Dr. Singhvi was bestowed the Krishnan Medal (1988), National Mineral Award (2004), Farouk El-Baz Award by the Geological Society of America (2003), Decennial Medal by the Indian Geophysical Union (2006) and K Naha Medal (2007). He was elected Fellow of the Luminescence Society of India (President also), Geological Society of India, Indian Geophysical Union, Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore, National Academy of Sciences (India), Allahabad, Gujarat Science Academy and the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World.