India-led International Solar Alliance (ISA) has announced the appointment of Dr. Ajay Mathur, present Director General of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), as its new Director-General ensuing his election at the first special assembly, held virtually.
Dr. Mathur will succeed Upendra Tripathy, who is serving as Director-General since the foundation was established in 2015.
Dr. Mathur, who will take charge of ISA on March 15, 2021, brings with him a wealth of leadership expertise across all strategic areas of the energy transition, from policy, research, and technology commercialization to financing, international cooperation, and institutional development.
Commenting on his selection, Dr. Mathur, expressed, “I am honored to lead the International Solar Alliance and am ambitious about what we can achieve together with our members and partners to transition to a safer, sustainable, equitable, and more prosperous future for all through solar energy.”
“ISA has a vital role to help establish the infrastructure and ecosystem for a zero-carbon emission future. With strong foundations already in place, my immediate focus is to identify and mobilize the opportunities and capital to accelerate our solarization goals in the interim and long-term,” he added.
Before TERI, Dr Mathur held leadership positions at the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and the Green Climate Fund. In 2020, he received an IconSWM-CE Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to environmental protection.
Outgoing Director General Upendra Tripathy stated “I am grateful to all the member countries for their trust and support over the past five years which has seen ISA grow from an idea to the go-to international organization on solar energy that it is today. It is so pleasing to see more and more countries joining the ISA to work together to pool efforts and resources to bring solar to the next level.”