Soil Health, National Wealth: India’s Silent Infrastructure Crisis is a thought-provoking and interdisciplinary book that highlights the critical yet often overlooked role of soil in national development. It presents soil not merely as a farming input, but as a living, dynamic infrastructure essential for water regulation, carbon storage, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience. Drawing on decades of scientific research, field experience, and policy analysis, the book emphasizes the growing gap between soil management policies and ground realities in India.

It critically examines issues such as declining soil organic carbon, groundwater depletion, and increasing dependence on chemical inputs, arguing for a shift toward sustainable and system-based soil health management. The book integrates insights from agrometeorology, climate science, data analytics, and artificial intelligence to propose modern solutions like soil health mapping and carbon accounting. Inspired by global soil science leaders, it calls for treating soil as a national asset crucial for long-term agricultural and environmental sustainability.

BV Ramana Rao has been a towering figure in the field of Agricultural Meteorology, with a distinguished career spanning over four decades. He began his academic journey at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, where he taught Agricultural Meteorology from 1966 to 1979. Subsequently, he joined the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and served in various key capacities until his superannuation in April 2000. He held the position of Head, Division of Climatology, Wind Power, and Solar Energy Utilization at ICAR- CAZRI, Jodhpur, and later became the Founder Project Coordinator of the pioneering AICRP on Agrometeorology, ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad, from December 1984 to March 1994. Professor Rao’s contributions to the advancement of agrometeorology are both foundational and transformative. His research significantly shaped key areas such as agroclimatic characterization, delineation of efficient cropping zones, crop-weather modeling, classification and management of agricultural droughts, and operational agrometeorology. He has published over 150 research papers, including 50 papers in high-impact international journals, reflecting his global scientific standing. In addition, he has authored 55 books and monographs, along with numerous technical and scientific bulletins. He served with distinction as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Agrometeorology for an impressive 14 years (2009–2023), elevating the journal’s stature and influence in the global agrometeorological community. He was awarded the prestigious British Council Fellowship (1986–87) for advanced training at the University of Reading, UK. In recognition of his lifelong contributions to the field, he was honored with the title of Honorary Fellow (2011) and conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award (2025) by the Association of Agrometeorologists.

Surender Singh brings with him over thirty-five years of distinguished experience in the field of agrometeorology, marked by excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and academic administration. He earned his PhD in Agrometeorology and has served in various esteemed capacities at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, India including Principal Scientist, Professor & Head, Senior Scientist, Assistant Scientist, Advisor (Recruitments), and Assoc Director (Students’ Counseling and Placement). A meritorious scholar, he is the recipient of two Gold Medals-one for Best Research Work during his doctoral program, and the other for the Best PhD Dissertation, awarded by the then President of India, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. He was twice offered the prestigious UK Universities Vice Chancellors’ Scholarship under the Commonwealth Fellowship Program for higher studies. His international academic journey includes post-doctoral fellowships at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy; Instituto Agronômico, Campinas, Brazil; and BOKU-Met – Institute of Meteorology and Climatology, Vienna, Austria. Dr Singh is a life member of numerous professional societies, including the Association of Agrometeorologists, Indian Meteorological Society, Indian Society of Remote Sensing, International Society for Agrometeorology, Society for Sustainable Agriculture and Resource Management, ESPERE, European Drought Centre and SAFOAM. He has organized several national-level trainings, seminars, and symposia in Agrometeorology and allied fields. His academic contributions include over 250 publications, encompassing research papers, popular articles, manuals, teaching aids, and book chapters. In addition, he has authored 50 books and monographs, along with numerous technical and scientific bulletins. He has served as Managing Editor of the Journal of Agrometeorology, Vice President of Association of Agrometeorologists and contributed internationally as Research Collaborator with MARCO (Japan) and SPARC, ETH Zurich (Switzerland). His expertise has been recognized globally, with appointments to the Expert Team on Agrometeorology (CAgM-WMO, Geneva) from 2018 to 2020, and as a Core Committee Member on Agriculture-Drought at WMO, Geneva for two consecutive terms (2021–24 and 2024–27). He also serves as an External Expert for Research Project Evaluation at the COST Association, European Union, Brussels. A dedicated mentor, Dr. Singh has guided numerous undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral students who now serve in prominent positions across India. Widely traveled, he has represented India across the globe in academic and scientific forums. In recognition of his exemplary achievements and enduring impact on agrometeorological science, he was conferred the prestigious title of Fellow of the Association of Agrometeorologists in 2024.

V Uma Maheswara Rao is a seasoned expert in Agrometeorology, with over four decades of extensive experience in teaching, research, extension, and academic administration. He holds a PhD in the broad field of Agrometeorology and has served in various distinguished roles including Project Coordinator, Principal Scientist, Professor & Head, Agrometeorologist, and Assistant Scientist at CCS Haryana Agricultural University and under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). Throughout his career, Dr Rao has been instrumental in shaping the growth and direction of agrometeorological science in India. He has actively contributed to the development and dissemination of agrometeorological knowledge by organizing and leading numerous national and international training programs, workshops, and capacity-building initiatives, aimed at empowering students, researchers, and field professionals alike. He is a life member of several esteemed professional and scientific organizations, including the Indian Meteorological Society, The Arid Zone Research Association of India, Indian Society of Remote Sensing, Association of Agrometeorologists, International Society for Agrometeorology and The Indian Society of Dryland Agriculture. He has served as President of Association of Agrometeorologists also. With an exceptional academic footprint, he has authored and published more than 345 scholarly contributions, including research papers, popular articles, manuals, teaching aids, bulletins, and book chapters. In addition, he has authored 65 books and monographs, along with numerous technical and scientific bulletins. His leadership and expertise were globally acknowledged when he served as a member of the CCl-ET-IIC of the World Meteorological Organization, Geneva (2014– 2017). He was also appointed to the XI Plan High Powered Review Committee of the MoES, Govt of India, in 2012. In recognition of his visionary leadership, the prestigious Chaudhary Devi Lal Award for the Best AICRP on Agrometeorology was conferred by ICAR in 2014, under his stewardship as Project Coordinator. A passionate mentor, he has guided a large number of undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral students, many of whom now hold key positions across the country in the domain of Agrometeorology. His professional engagements have taken him to numerous countries, representing India in various scientific forums and collaborative projects. His vast experience, dedication to education, and deep commitment to agrometeorological research continue to inspire the next generation of scientists and practitioners.

Anu Bulusu is a seasoned technology leader, entrepreneur, and consultant with deep expertise in enterprise technology solutions encompassing emerging technologies like AI and data science. She has built a distinguished career working with tech giants such as HP, Microsoft, and Deloitte, as well as co-founding and successfully scaling two technology services firms, INRY and L5.ai. Her work has spanned organizations across four continents—North America, Asia, Europe, and Australia—helping businesses modernize operations, implement AI-driven strategies, and leverage data science for automation and decision-making. With a strong foundation in enterprise software, digital transformation, AIpowered automation, and advanced analytics, Ms. Bulusu is a trusted advisor for businesses seeking to maximize efficiency, scalability, and innovation. She has extensive experience guiding companies through complex technology migrations, workflow optimizations, and AI adoption strategies. Ms. Bulusu holds a Master’s in Engineering from the University of Alabama at Huntsville, AL, USA, where she worked as a research assistant at the Global Hydrology and Climate Center, contributing to ‘Macroscale Hydrologic Modeling for Regional Climate Assessment Studies’ alongside esteemed researchers. Committed to lifelong learning, she has continued to expand her expertise by participating in prestigious executive education programs, including the Owners/ President’s Management (OPM) program at Harvard Business School. Passionate about harnessing AI to drive business productivity, operational excellence, and strategic growth, Ms. Bulusu continues to work with organizations of all sizes across the globe to unlock the full potential of emerging technologies.

Chapter 1. The Living Engine: Soil as Biological Technology
Chapter 2. The Indian Soil Map We Don’t Have
Chapter 3. Forty Years of Extraction
Chapter 4. The Water Connection
Chapter 5. What Infrastructure Actually Means
Chapter 6. The Grid Model: How We Can Manage Soil Like Electricity
Chapter 7. The Soil Balance Sheet: Why Carbon is Our Real Reserve
Chapter 8. The Empirical Reality: Evidence from the Field
Chapter 9. The Mapping Mandate: A Digital Twin for India’s Soil
Chapter 10. Standards, Not Mandates: The Architecture of Choice
Chapter 11. The National Soil Microbiome Mission (NSMM)
Chapter 12. The Carbon Dividend: Turning Soil into Capital
Chapter 13. State Responsibility and Central Standards
Chapter 14. Countries That Got This Right: Adopting Global Best Practices
Chapter 15. The 25-Year Restoration Agenda (2025–2050)