Emeritus Professor Kuntala Lahiri-Dutt Named for International Geographical Union’s 2026 Award for Distinguished Geographical Practice

The International Geographical Union (IGU) has named ANU South Asia Research Institute's previous board member, Emeritus Professor Kuntala Lahiri-Dutt as the recipient of their 2026 Award for Distinguished Geographical Practice (Laureat d’honneur). The IGU is an esteemed international professional organisation of geographers worldwide and its award honours individuals who have achieved particular distinction in international geography or environmental research. 

This is what Kuntala has to say:

"I feel very fortunate to be recognised by the IGU, especially considering the calibre of work being done in our field globally. The recognition means a lot to me, especially given my location in an interdisciplinary department and the fact that I have often selected ‘thematic’ journals rather than disciplinary ones to publish my research. Much of the credit for this award goes to the Crawford School, my students, and my amazing colleagues at the RE&D, SARI, and other universities and academic institutions. The support I continue to receive from all these people, and their various kindnesses, have been crucial in helping me achieve this recognition. This is a joyful, yet humbling, moment in my life.”

Details of the award and the upcoming IGU Congress can be found here: https://igu-online.org/