Director General
International Solar Alliance
Dr Ajay Mathur is the Director General of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), which is one of its kind multilateral organisation established to catalyse global solar growth.
Prior to joining ISA, Dr Mathur was Director General of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and a member of the Prime Minister of India’s Council on Climate Change. He was co-chair of the global Energy Transitions Commission and the Clean Cooling Initiatives of the One Planet Summit. He earlier headed the Indian Bureau of Energy Efficiency and was responsible for its foundational programmes, which mainstreamed energy efficiency through initiatives such as the Star Labeling program for appliances, the Energy Conservation Building Code, and the Perform, Achieve & Trade program for energy-intensive industries. He was a leading climate change negotiator and was the Indian spokesperson at the Paris climate negotiations. He served as the interim Director of the Green Climate Fund during its foundational period.
Dr Mathur was a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which was awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. He was appointed a Chevalier de l’Ordre national du Merite by the President of France in recognition of his outstanding commitment to preserving the environment and coping with energy-related challenges.
Dr Mathur received a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the (then) University of Roorkee and a Master’s and PhD degrees from the University of Illinois. He has also received the Distinguished Alumnus Awards from both his alma maters.