I have been interested in the environment and clean energy since my high school days. After finding myself in the undergraduate program at Electrical Engineering, IIT Bombay, Solar PV seemed like an ideal area that can merge my passion towards environment and professional degree in electrical engineering. In order to persue my interest in PV futher, I decided to go to Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), a research institute of University of Central Florida which has been working in the area of Solar PV since 1975. During my PhD at FSEC, I primarily worked on the reliability of PV modules, investigating certain degradation mechanisms such as PID and diode failures and developing module designs that can last longer in field. Consequently, I worked for about 3 years at Jabil Circuit, St. Petersburg, Florida, leading the research activities at their PV reliability test lab anddeveloping in-line metrology and data analytics to improve the quality of PV modules made at their 1 GW/year module manufacturing facility in Europe.

In 2017, I accepted the faculty position at Electrical Engineering IIT Bombay. Ambitious PV dpeloyment plans and harsh climates pose unique challenges in the area of PV reliability for India. All India Surveys of PV Reliability conducted by NCPRE have been instrumental in understanding several field issues in India. My broad vision is to engage in activities that would ensure that we get desired about of Giga-Watt-Hours from the Giga Watts of PV deployed in India. This involves development of India-specific standards to improve the quality and reliability of PV, development of low-cost module level monitoring instruments, predictive operation & maintainance of PV plants using state of the art data analytics, root cause failure analysis & multiphysics modeling to understand new failure mechanisms etc. Several of the studies I did at FSEC, Jabil and later at IIT Bombay have shaped the international standards such as IEC 62979, IEC 63126 and I would like to continue taking up research problems that have potential to make direct impact on PV industry through a new domestic and international standards.