Sandeep Sukumaran

Sandeep Sukumaran

Associate Professor & Mittal Foundation Chair in Climate Sciences

Centre for Atmospheric Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
Associate Faculty, Yardi School of Artificial Intelligence

My research focuses on understanding and predicting the Indian Summer Monsoon as a multi-scale climate system, spanning synoptic, intraseasonal, seasonal, and climate-change timescales. I study the dynamics of monsoon variability, extremes, and low-pressure systems using theory, observations, reanalyses, and global climate models. A central theme is advancing predictability through physics-aware and data-driven (AI/ML) models. My broader vision is to build scalable, interpretable, and societally relevant climate intelligence for the Global South.

Google Scholar ResearchGate ORCID Lab Website

Education & Experience

  • 2022 – present Associate Professor, Centre for Atmospheric Sciences, IIT Delhi
  • 2017 – 2022 Assistant Professor, Centre for Atmospheric Sciences, IIT Delhi
  • 2013 – 2017 Postdoctoral Researcher, New York University Abu Dhabi, UAE
  • 2010 – 2013 Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Oslo, Norway
  • 2009 – 2010 Research Associate, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore
  • 2005 – 2009 Ph.D., Department of Physics and Meteorology, IIT Kharagpur
  • 2002 – 2004 M.Sc. Meteorology, Cochin University of Science and Technology

Research

Dynamics of the Indian Summer Monsoon

Understanding the genesis mechanisms of monsoon low-pressure systems (LPS) over the Bay of Bengal, classified as in situ (local) and downstream (triggered by NW Pacific disturbances). We have developed databases and automated classification techniques for LPS in climate models, and demonstrated that Rossby waves from Western North Pacific tropical cyclones can amplify LPS activity over the Bay of Bengal. We also investigate dry air intrusion dynamics, revealing a large reservoir of unsaturated air over the Arabian Sea that is transported inland during monsoon breaks.

Key papers: Singh & Sandeep (2021) · Srujan et al. (2021) · Srujan et al. (2022)

Indian Summer Monsoon in a Warming Climate

Studying changes in the monsoon due to global warming using climate model projections (CMIP5/6). Our work shows a northward shift of the monsoon low-level jet and a substantial decline in LPS activity under warming. Current efforts focus on the effects of Arctic and Antarctic sea ice melt on the monsoon, through coupled and uncoupled climate model experiments.

Key papers: Sandeep & Ajayamohan (2015) · Sandeep et al. (2018) PNAS · Chandra & Sandeep (2024)

AI/ML Applications in Atmospheric Science

Applying deep learning to predict atmospheric and coupled ocean-atmosphere variability, including ENSO prediction beyond the spring barrier and monsoon intraseasonal oscillation forecasting. We also develop AI-based methods to detect and track high-impact weather systems from satellite imagery, and evaluate global ML weather models for tropical cyclone dynamics and extreme precipitation. This is a collaborative effort with Prof. Hariprasad Kodamana (Chemical Engineering & Yardi School of AI, IIT Delhi).

Key papers: Gupta et al. (2020) · Nair et al. (2021) · Anirudh et al. (2025)

Publications

Papers published in / submitted to international peer-reviewed journals.

  1. Anirudh, K. M., S. Sandeep, and H. Kodamana (2026) Tracing the Unlabeled Storm: Cross-Variable Transfer in a Lagrangian Atmospheric JEPA Framework, The 41st Annual AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence submitted
  2. Puri, C. J. and S. Sandeep (2026) Distinct Dynamical Regimes among Synoptic-Scale Vortices: Structure, Heating, and Maintenance, Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences submitted
  3. Sabeerali, C. T., R. S. Ajayamohan, S. Sandeep, O. P. Sreejith, P. Rohini, R. Shinto, T. P. Sabin (2026) Multi-Decadal Modulation of the ENSO–Northeast Monsoon Rainfall Teleconnection over India: Role of Bay of Bengal Tropical System Tracks, Climate Dynamics submitted
  4. Alice Jeeva, P. J., Sarvesh Kumar Dubey, and S. Sandeep (2026) Dynamics and Multiscale Coupling of Quasi-Biweekly Oscillations in Contrasting Indian Summer Monsoon Years, JGR: Atmospheres under revision
  5. Sahu, P. L., S. Sandeep, and H. Kodamana (2026) Predicting Extreme Precipitation Using Global Machine Learning Models Over India, JGR: Machine Learning and Computation under revision
  6. Narbar, S., S. Sandeep, and D. Ganguly (2026) Contrasting Effects of Aerosols and Greenhouse Gases on Subseasonal Variability of the Indian Summer Monsoon, JGR: Atmospheres, doi: 10.1029/2025JD045845
  7. Manna, Gobinda, S. Sandeep, and N. Chen (2026) Linking mean-state biases to ENSO diversity in climate models: The key role of westerly wind burst suppression, Climate Dynamics, doi: 10.1007/s00382-026-08227-8
  8. Dombo, T. C., S. Sandeep, and K. AchutaRao (2026) Translation Speed of Easterly Waves Controls Precipitation Maxima over Western Africa, Environmental Research Letters, doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/ae6b9f
  9. Dixit, J., H. Kodamana, S. Sandeep, and K. AchutaRao (2026) Deep Learning-Based Correction of Decadal Predictions of the PDO and TAG Indices, IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters, doi: 10.1109/LGRS.2026.3662257
  10. Chandra, V., S. Sandeep, and K. M. R. Hunt (2026) Weakening of western disturbances in response to polar sea ice melt in climate model simulations, Atmospheric Science Letters, doi: 10.1002/asl.70007
  11. Saran, R. and S. Sandeep (2025) Increasing Uncertainty in Large Flood and Drought Projections over Central India, Environmental Research Communications, doi: 10.1088/2515-7620/ae1dde
  12. Saran, R. and S. Sandeep (2025) Lack of Influence of Cross-Equatorial Ocean Heat Transport on the Interannual Variability of the Indian Summer Monsoon, Scientific Reports, 15, 34048, doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-14120-x
  13. Sahu, P. L., S. Sandeep, and H. Kodamana (2025) Evaluating Global Machine Learning Models for Tropical Cyclone Dynamics and Thermodynamics, JGR: Machine Learning and Computation, doi: 10.1029/2025JH000594
  14. Anirudh, K. M., P. Raj, S. Sandeep, H. Kodamana, and C. T. Sabeerali (2025) A skillful prediction of monsoon intraseasonal oscillation using deep learning, JGR: Machine Learning and Computation, doi: 10.1029/2024JH000504
  15. Sharma, S., K. M. Anirudh, B. R. Bakshi, S. Sandeep, H. Kodamana, & M. Ramteke (2025) Multi-objective optimization for sustainable agricultural strategies considering future climatic scenarios, Computers & Chemical Engineering, doi: 10.1016/j.compchemeng.2025.109306
  16. Sabeerali, C. T., V. Praveen, P. Rohini, O. P. Sreejith, and S. Sandeep (2025) Unraveling the Challenges of Climate Models: Limited Skill in Predicting Seasonal Rainfall in Central India, Climate Dynamics, doi: 10.1007/s00382-025-07621-y
  17. Singh, R. and S. Sandeep (2024) Dry air intrusion over India during break phases of summer monsoon in CMIP6 models, Q J R Meteorol Soc., 150(763), 3623–3638, doi: 10.1002/qj.4788
  18. Chandra, V. and S. Sandeep (2024) Relative roles of the Arctic and Antarctic sea ice melt on Indian summer monsoon, Climate Dynamics, 62, 5373–5387 Nature Climate Change highlight
  19. Singh, R. and S. Sandeep (2024) Precipitation Variability over Northwestern India Driven by the Transport of Moisture Deficit Air, JGR: Atmospheres, 129, e2023JD040180
  20. Srujan, K. S. S. S., and S. Sandeep (2024) Clustering of low-pressure systems during the active phase of Indian summer monsoon in climate models, Climate Dynamics, 62, 4981–4995
  21. Dombo, T. C., K. AchutaRao, and S. Sandeep (2023) The Link Between ITCZ Stagnation and Bias in Local Shortwave Cloud Radiative Forcing Over Tropical Africa, Environmental Research Letters, 19, 014034
  22. Vishnupriya, S., E. Suhas, and S. Sandeep (2022) Extratropical Stratospheric Air Intrusions and the Genesis of Downstream Monsoon Low Pressure Systems, Geophysical Research Letters, 49, e2022GL100976
  23. Chandra, V., S. Sandeep, E. Suhas, and A. C. Subramanian (2022) Weakening of Indian Summer Monsoon Synoptic Activity in Response to Polar Sea Ice Melt, Earth and Space Science, 9, e2021EA002185
  24. Srujan, K. S. S. S., S. Sandeep, E. Suhas, and H. Kodamana (2022) A Dynamical Linkage Between Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclones and Indian Monsoon Low-Pressure Systems, Geophysical Research Letters, 49, e2022GL098597
  25. Singh, R. and S. Sandeep (2021) Dynamics of dry air intrusion over India during summer monsoon breaks, Climate Dynamics, 59, 1649–1664
  26. Nair, A., K. S. S. S. Srujan, S. Kulkarni, K. Alwadhi, N. Jain, H. Kodamana, S. Sandeep, and V. O. John (2021) A Deep Learning Framework for the Detection of Tropical Cyclones from Satellite Images, IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters
  27. Srujan, K. S. S. S., S. Sandeep, and E. Suhas (2021) Downstream and In Situ Genesis of Monsoon Low-Pressure Systems in Climate Models, Earth and Space Science, 8, e2021EA001741
  28. Sinha, A., M. Gupta, K. S. S. S. Srujan, H. Kodamana, and S. Sandeep (2021) Prediction of synoptic-scale sea level pressure over the Indian monsoon region using deep learning, IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters
  29. Gupta, M., H. Kodamana, and S. Sandeep (2020) Prediction of ENSO Beyond Spring Predictability Barrier Using Deep Convolutional LSTM Networks, IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters
  30. Meera, M., E. Suhas, S. Sandeep (2019) Downstream and In situ: Two Perspectives on the Initiation of Monsoon Low Pressure Systems over the Bay of Bengal, Geophysical Research Letters, 46, 12303–12310
  31. Sandeep, S., R. S. Ajayamohan, W. R. Boos, T. P. Sabin, V. Praveen (2018) Decline and poleward shift in Indian summer monsoon synoptic activity in a warming climate, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115(11), 2681–2686
  32. Sandeep, S. and R. S. Ajayamohan (2018) Modulation of Winter Precipitation Dynamics Over the Arabian Gulf by ENSO, JGR: Atmospheres, 123, 198–210
  33. Kutty, G., S. Sandeep, Vinodkumar, S. Nhaloor (2018) Sensitivity of convective precipitation to soil moisture and vegetation during break spell of Indian summer monsoon, Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 133(3–4), 957–972
  34. Praveen, V., R. S. Ajayamohan, V. Valsala, S. Sandeep (2016) Intensification of upwelling along Oman coast in a warming scenario, Geophysical Research Letters, 43, 7581–7589
  35. Kumar, K. N., T. B. M. J. Ouarda, S. Sandeep, R. S. Ajayamohan (2016) Wintertime precipitation variability over the Arabian Peninsula and its relationship with ENSO in the CAM4 simulations, Climate Dynamics, 47(7–8), 2443–2454
  36. Praveen, V., S. Sandeep, R. S. Ajayamohan (2015) On the Relationship between Mean Monsoon Precipitation and Low Pressure Systems in Climate Model Simulations, Journal of Climate, 28, 5305–5320
  37. Sandeep, S. and R. S. Ajayamohan (2015) Poleward shift in Indian summer monsoon low level jetstream under global warming, Climate Dynamics, 45(1–2), 337–351
  38. Sandeep, S. and R. S. Ajayamohan (2014) Origin of cold bias over the Arabian Sea in Climate Models, Scientific Reports, 4, 6403
  39. Sandeep, S., F. Stordal, P. D. Sardeshmukh, G. P. Compo (2014) Pacific Walker Circulation variability in coupled and uncoupled climate models, Climate Dynamics, 43(1–2), 103–117
  40. Diallo, I., F. Giorgi, S. Sandeep, F. Stordal, G. Giuliani (2014) Evaluation of RegCM4 driven by CAM4 over Southern Africa, Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 121(3–4), 749–766
  41. Sandeep, S. and F. Stordal (2013) Use of daily outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) data in detecting precipitation extremes in the tropics, Remote Sensing Letters, 4(6), 570–578
  42. Singh, D., S. Sandeep, A. Chandrasekar (2008) Combined IR-microwave satellite retrieval of temperature and moisture profiles using the ICI inversion system and its application in the MM5 model, Atmosfera, 21(2), 191–212
  43. Sandeep, S., A. Chandrasekar, S. K. Dash (2007) On the prediction of tropical cyclones over the Indian region using a synthetic vortex scheme in a mesoscale model, Pure and Applied Geophysics, 164(8–9), 1443–1463
  44. Sandeep, S., A. Chandrasekar, S. K. Dash (2007) Impact of modification of initial cyclonic structure on the prediction of a cyclone over the Arabian Sea, Natural Hazards, 41(3), 487–499
  45. Sandeep, S., A. Chandrasekar, D. Singh (2006) The impact of assimilation of AMSU data for the prediction of a tropical cyclone over India using a mesoscale model, International Journal of Remote Sensing, 27(20), 4621–4653

Projects

Ongoing

Understanding the Genesis Mechanisms of Monsoon Low Pressure Systems

PI: Sandeep Sukumaran · Co-PI: Suhas Ettammal (IISER Pune)
Funding: Ministry of Earth Sciences, Govt. of India · Budget: ₹49.3 lakhs · 2022–2025

Prediction of Indian Summer Monsoon Active and Break Cycles Using AI/ML

PI: Hariprasad Kodamana · Co-PI: Sandeep Sukumaran
Funding: Ministry of Earth Sciences, Govt. of India · Budget: ₹25.4 lakhs · 2022–2025

IMproving FORcasts with MAchine Learning (IMFORMAL)

PI: Krishna AchutaRao · Co-PI: Sandeep Sukumaran, Hariprasad Kodamana, Somnath Baidya Roy
Funding: Ministry of Earth Sciences, Govt. of India · Budget: ₹84.17 lakhs · 2022–2025

Completed

Investigation of Dry Air Intrusion over the Arabian Sea and Its Implications on Indian Summer Monsoon

PI: Sandeep Sukumaran
Funding: Science and Engineering Research Board · Budget: ₹14.65 lakhs · 2019–2021

Implications of Arctic Sea Ice Melting on Tropical Climate

PI: Sandeep Sukumaran · Co-PI: Dilip Ganguly
Funding: NCPOR, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Govt. of India · Budget: ₹41.3 lakhs · 2019–2022

Research Group

Current PhD Students

Completed PhD Students

M.Tech Students

2026–27

  • Gp Capt Deepak Bhatt

2025–26

  • Wg Cdr Bannuru Govinda Reddy

2024–25

  • Gobinda Manna

2023–24

  • Munish Singh Danu
  • Wg Cdr Hrushikesh Pendina

2022–23

  • Prasang Raj

2021–22

  • Sqn Ldr Madan Gopal

2020–21

  • Abisha Mary
  • Wg Cdr Himanshu Singhjoint w/ Prof. S. Baidya Roy

2019–20

  • K S S Sai Srujan
  • Sayali R Kulkarni

2018–19

  • Rahul Singh
  • Lt Cdr Pawan Parmarjoint w/ Prof. K. AchutaRao

Former Project Staff

Teaching

Dynamics of the Atmosphere

ASL734

PG course, offered from 2018-19 to 2025-26

Tropical Weather and Climate

ASL757

PG course, offered regularly since 2019

Teaching Excellence Award (2019–20)

Advanced Data Analysis for Weather and Climate

ASP820

PG course, 2018–19

Indian Monsoon, Global Warming, and Climate Change

ASL370/ASL3700

UG course, 2026–27

Contact

Office

Block VI, Room No. 312
Centre for Atmospheric Sciences
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110 016, India

Get in touch

Email: sandeep.sukumaran@cas.iitd.ac.in
Tel: +91-11-2659-1387