Varsha Ashok Aglawe Becomes First Woman to Lead GSI

By: Women Entrepreneurs Review Team | Monday, 3 August 2026

The Geological Survey of India (GSI) announced on July 31 that Varsha Ashok Aglawe had assumed charge as its 54th Director General, becoming the first woman to head the country's premier geoscientific organization in its 176-year history. Varsha, a paleontologist with over three decades of experience, succeeded Asit Saha, who had served as GSI's Director General for two years.

Before taking over the helm, she was Additional Director General and Head of Department (HOD) of the Eastern Region of the GSI at Kolkata where she had the responsibility to oversee multi-disciplinary geoscientific programs and administrative initiatives.

Key Highlights:

• Varsha becomes the Director General of the Geological Survey of India
• She brings over 30 years of experience in geological and fossil research
• She will lead GSI's focus on critical mineral exploration and geoscientific advancement

Varsha specializes in paleontology and palynology and has contributed greatly to the studies of the Late Cretaceous-Paleocene sediments, Cretaceous-Paleocene (K-T) boundary and the Satpura-Gondwana basins. The work has contributed to the knowledge of geology of India and the fossil record. She has made many remarkable discoveries, such as the Salbardi Ghorpend region in Central India as a new nesting area for dinosaurs.

She also set up a modern Palynology Laboratory in the office of the GSI, Lucknow which helped to build the scientific research infrastructure of the GSI. She has also worked with the University Of Michigan Museum Of Paleontology and is a speaker at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) Convention in Toronto, 2023.

Upon taking charge of the organization, as Director General, Varsha presented her vision and direction of the organization in sync with the Government of India's thrust on critical mineral exploration and resource security.

She urged expedited exploration of deep-seated and hidden mineral resources, offshore geological surveys, development of laboratory facilities and increased attention on natural hazard studies. She also emphasized the need to nurture the future of geoscientists by strengthening training and capacity building programs.

The Geological Survey of India is one of the oldest scientific organizations of India, which was founded in 1851 by the Government of India under the Ministry of Mines. It acts as the national geodetic mapping, geological resources assessment and geodetic research organization.

GSI also contributes significantly in the exploration of strategic and critical minerals needed for the industrial growth, transition from fossil fuels and for infrastructure developments of India. Under the leadership of Varsha, the organization will further develop their scientific skills and help to advance the nation's critical mineral exploration and geological resource management efforts.