Sumitava Mukherjee

B.E. (Computer Engineering)
M.Sc. (Cognitive Science)
Ph.D.

Home | Publications | Talks | Teaching | About

Current research topic: Psychology of drinking water

Broad question: What are the cognitive and behavioral underpinnings of drinking water consumption (or a lack thereof), and how can we promote healthy practices?

I lead Water Thoughts, a psychology research group located within the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at IIT Delhi, built from decision research and extended through the lenses of cognitive and economic psychology. Cutting across basic and applied research, interests in collaboration are welcome, with implications for health, businesses, society, the environment, and policies.

• After about 8 years of successful run, my previous research group GainLoss lab (erstwhile Mukherjee Decision Lab) is wrapping up by 2027. Grateful to more than 50+ students who worked with us. We are not accepting new students.
• I shall be on Sabbatical leave from July 2026 to June 2027 and might be slower in responding

Public Bionote:

Dr. Sumitava Mukherjee is a decision researcher within the broad area of behavioral and cognitive science. After having studied and consulted on diverse aspects of human judgment and decision making, he took up a lead role in spreading decision research and applied behavioral science in India. (see DecisionMaking.org.in). He is currently an Associate Professor in the area of psychology at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at IIT Delhi and leads the WaterThoughts research group. From consumer insights to behavioral practices and public health, he is interested in how we think, act, and decide about drinking water, along with some further questions that lead to water security and water futures. He is a Visiting Senior Fellow, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, Global School of Sustainability, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), U.K., in 2026-2027 and was a visiting fellow at LSE in 2025-2026. His previous research in the area of judgment and decision-making was mainly in the domain of money and focused on the psychological foundations of the behavioral economics of gains and losses (GainLoss lab). Mukherjee is passionate about behavioral insights for sustainable development goals and is happy to work together to use behavioral science and decision-making for issues that matter in India/Bharat. At times, he ponders on alternative psychological foundations of behavioral economics for a better world.

Mukherjee has been a member of the International Water Resources Association (IWRA), Cognitive Science Society (USA). the Society for Judgment and Decision Making (SJDM) USA; Association for Psychological Science (APS) USA, International Affiliate member of the American Psychological Association (APA), professional member in Association for Computing Machinery (ACM); member of the National Academy of Psychology (NAOP) India, and a Life-member of Indian Science Congress. He has served on the executive committee of NAOP India and of Cultural Evolution Society, USA. He was a research associate and a DST-CSRI post-doc fellow hosted at IIM Ahmedabad (2013-2016). He was awarded the Young Alumni Excellence award (for academics) in 2024 and Outstanding researcher award in 2014 by IIT Gandhinagar. NAOP India awarded him the Emerging Psychologist award in 2014 and the Young Psychologist award in 2020. He has been a visiting scholar in the summers of 2025 and 2026 at the Global Research Centre for Diverse Intelligences, University of St. Andrews, U.K.

Institute / Department Responsibilities

• Member/Convenor, Committee to develop mechanisms for implementing the IIT Delhi Sustainability Policy
• Member, Institute Standing Committee for Academic Outreach activities 2025-26
• Member, Bhagwan Birsa Munda Cell (BBMC) at IIT Delhi
• Member, Department Exchange and Outreach Committee, Dept of HSS

• Member, Bhagwan Birsa Munda Cell (BBMC) - towards actionable inputs in policy making decisions for Ministry of Tribal Affairs
• Member, Institute Alumni Affairs committee
• Exchange and Outreach Coordinator including International relations, Dept of HSS representative
• Department Time-table incharge
• Member, Department Budget Committee

• Exchange and Outreach Coordinator including International relations, Dept of HSS representative
• Department Time-table incharge
• Member, Department Budget Committee
• Member, Institute Alumni Affairs committee

• Co-ordinator, Cognitive Science M.Sc. Programme (along with Dr. Purnima Singh)
• Lab Co-ordinator, Cognitive and Behavioral Science Lab, Dept of HSS
• Member, Department Budget Committee
• Member, Department Postdoc Committee

• Co-ordinator, Cognitive Science M.Sc. Programme (along with Dr. Purnima Singh)
• Lab Co-ordinator, Cognitive and Behavioral Science Lab, Dept of HSS
• Member, Board of Academic Programmes (BAP), IIT Delhi (Department Nominee)
• Member, Department Research Committee (DRC) for Dept of HSS
• Member, Department Budget Committee
• Member, Department IT Committee

• Member, Department Postdoc hiring committee [from 01 Sep 2020]
• Member, Department IT and web management committee [from 01 Sep 2020]
• Member, Department Budget Committee [from 01 Sep 2020]
• Member, Adhoc committee for HSS department proposals for IIT Delhi Institute of Eminence (IoE) and 2030 IIT Delhi Strategy initiative
• Secretary, Department Research Committee (DRC) for Dept of HSS [upto 31 Aug 2020]
• Joint Co-ordinator, Cognitive and Behavioral Science Lab, Dept of HSS

• Secretary, Department Research Committee (DRC) for Dept of HSS
• Joint Co-ordinator, Cognitive and Behavioral Science Lab, Dept of HSS
• Institute Waste Management Committee member
• Proctorial committee member (Jwalamukhi Hostel: Jul-Aug)
• Faculty Volunteer - Convocations