Dr. Updesh  Kumar Author of Evaluating Organization Development
FEATURED AUTHOR

Dr. Updesh Kumar

Scientist 'G' (R) and Former Head, Mental Health Division,
Defence Institute of Psychological Research (DIPR), DRDO, India.

Updesh Kumar, Ph.D., has 30 years of selection, teaching & research experience as a scientist (psychologist) at DRDO, Delhi. He has edited twelve volumes including 'The Wiley Handbook of Personality Assessment', 'Handbook of Psychosocial Resilience', and 'Handbook of Military Psychology and Mental Health', and was conferred with the prestigious DRDO’s 'Scientist of the Year' and 'Popular Science Communication Awards' by the Govt. of India. Detailed CV can be found at www.drupdeshkumar.com

Biography

Updesh Kumar, Ph.D.,  is Scientist ‘G’ (R) and former Head, Mental Health Division at Defense Institute of Psychological Research (DIPR), R & D Organization (DRDO), Ministry of Defense, Delhi. Presently, he is associated with Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU), an institution of national importance, Pioneer National Security, and the Police University of India, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. After obtaining his doctorate in suicidal behavior from Punjab University, Chandigarh, India, he has more than 30 years of experience as a Scientist in an R&D organization. He specializes in the area of personality assessment, suicidal behavior, health psychology, and military psychology. As a military psychologist, Dr. Kumar has been involved in selecting commissioned rank officers at various Services Selection Boards (SSBs) and was responsible for monitoring the entire selection system of the Indian Armed Forces for around three decades. In addition, as chief instructor, he has imparted training in psychological techniques to service officers and scientists manning the various SSBs and conducted many counseling techniques training programs and M.Sc. military psychology courses for the officers of the Indian Armed Forces.

An internationally acclaimed author and editor, Dr. Kumar has edited twelve quality volumes on ‘Recent Developments of Psychology’ (DIPR, 2006), ‘Counseling: A Practical Approach (Academic Excellance, 2009), ‘Suicidal Behaviour: Assessment of People-at-Risk’, (Sage Publications, 2010) “Countering Terrorism: Psychosocial Strategies” (Sage Publications, 2012), “Understanding Suicide Terrorism: Psychosocial Dynamics” (Sage Publications, 2014),  “Suicidal Behaviour: Underlying Dynamics”, (Routledge, 2015),  “Positive Psychology: Applications in Work, Health and Well-being” (Pearson Education, 2015), "The Wiley Handbook of Personality Assessment" (John Wiley & Sons, 2016),  "The Routledge International Handbook of Psychosocial Resilience" (Routledge, 2017), "Handbook of Suicidal Behaviour" (Springer Nature, 2017), "The Routledge International Handbook of Military Psychology and Mental Health" (Routledge, 2020, selected for the 2022 edition of Doody’s Core Titles®) and most recently "Emotion, Well-Being, and Resilience: Theoretical Perspectives and Practical Applications" (CRC Press & Apple Academic Press, 2021). The highlighted books with Sage Publications, John Wiley & Sons, Springer Nature, Pearson Education, and Taylor & Francis Group have been completed in collaboration with internationally acclaimed academicians/researchers from India, USA, UK, Australia, Singapore, Israel, France, Belarus, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Hong Kong, Norway, Ireland, Ukraine, Netherlands, Canada, South Africa, Czech Republic, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Croatia, and Spain, etc.

Dr. Kumar has also authored numerous field manuals on ‘Suicide and Fratricide: Dynamics and Management’ for defense personnel, ‘Managing Emotions in Daily Life & at Work Place’ for the general population, ‘Overcoming Obsolescence & Becoming Creative in R&D Environment’ for R&D organizations and ‘Self-Help Techniques in Military Settings. He has authored more than 65 other academic publications in research papers, journal articles, and book chapters and represented his institute at the national and international levels. He has been the past editor of the Journal of Indian Academy of Applied Psychology (JIAAP) and a reviewer with many international and national journals of repute. He is a certified psychologist by The British Psychological Society with level ‘A’ and level ‘B’ Certificate of Competence in Occupational Testing. He has to his credit many research projects as project director including Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Program: Resilience Building, Suicidal Behavior studies, and the development of various selection systems for the Indian Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). He is also on the selection panel with many prestigious institutions.

Dr. Kumar was conferred with the DRDO’s 'Best Popular Science Communication Award-2009' by the Hon’ble Defense Minister of India. He has also been the recipient of the 'DRDO Technology Group Award' in 2001,  2009, and 2014, Professor Manju Thakur Memorial Award-2009 and 2012 by the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology (IAAP), and Professor N. N. Sen Best Paper Award for the year 2010 by the Indian Association of Clinical Psychologist (IACP). He has been conferred with 'Laboratory Scientist of the Year Award-2012-2013 'and the prestigious 'DRDO’s Scientist of the Year Award-2013' by the Government of India.

Education

    Ph.D. in Psychology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India

Areas of Research / Professional Expertise

    Suicidal Behavior,  Personality Assessment, Health Psychology, and  Military Psychology

Personal Interests

    Reading Books, Cricket, and Traveling.

Websites

Books

Featured Title
 Featured Title - International Handbook Psychosocial Resilience - 1st Edition book cover

Photos