Gauhati University has initiated a comprehensive scientific study into the severe floods that struck Assam on July 19, 2026, with a focus on identifying the factors that contributed to the disaster and understanding its wider consequences across Upper Assam.
To undertake the investigation, the university has formed a multidisciplinary research group bringing together specialists from different academic fields. The study will be headed by Prof BN Goswami, ANRF PM Professor at Gauhati University. Prof Parag Phukon from the Department of Geological Sciences and Prof Ratul Mahanta from the Department of Economics have been included as members of the team. Prof Utpal Sarma, the university’s Registrar, will serve as both a member and coordinator of the initiative.
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The university has directed the researchers and their respective teams to begin work immediately. Since the flood situation involves several interconnected environmental, geological and economic factors, the institution said additional specialists may be brought into the project whenever their expertise is considered necessary.
The Office of the Registrar will support the research teams with logistical arrangements for field investigations and institutional visits. It will also facilitate communication and coordination with relevant government departments and district administrations as researchers gather information from affected areas.
The proposed study is expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the July 19 flooding and analyse how its effects spread downstream into different parts of Upper Assam. Researchers are likely to examine both the physical factors behind the flooding and its broader social and economic consequences.
The research project is part of Gauhati University’s larger response to the devastating floods. Earlier, the university contributed Rs 25 lakh to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to support people affected by the disaster. A delegation headed by Vice-Chancellor Prof Nani Gopal Mahanta handed over the contribution to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on August 9.
The university has also extended assistance directly to affected communities, supplying relief materials to 500 flood-affected families in Sivasagar and Charaideo and distributing 5,000 educational kits in flood-hit areas.
In addition to relief operations, the institution has undertaken efforts to protect valuable cultural heritage damaged by floodwater. A conservation initiative was launched to rescue handwritten Vaishnavite manuscripts preserved on sanchipat, some of which date back to the early 18th century. Prolonged exposure to moisture and fungal growth had placed these historically significant documents at serious risk of permanent deterioration.
Through the new research initiative and its relief and conservation activities, Gauhati University is seeking to combine scientific investigation with humanitarian and cultural preservation efforts in response to Assam’s flood crisis.
