Prof. (Dr.) Dheeraj Kumar is an accomplished academic and research leader, currently serving as Professor (HAG Scale) and Deputy Director at the Department of Mining Engineering, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad. He is also the Project Director of the Mining Technology Innovation Hub (TEXMiN) under the DST, Government of India, and the Director of TEXMiN Foundation, a Section 8 company dedicated to advancing mining technology development and incubation. Additionally, he serves as Director at ACIC IIT (ISM) Foundation, a Section 8 company established by NITI Aayog, which focuses on fostering community innovation and start-up ecosystems.

With over 22 years of experience spanning academia, research, consultancy, and administration, Prof. Kumar has made seminal contributions to the fields of mining engineering and earth sciences. He is the founding architect of TEXMiN, a Technology Innovation Hub that has catalysed innovation and start-up growth in mining technology through active collaboration between government agencies and industry stakeholders. Under his guidance, TEXMiN has incubated more than 20 start-up companies in the mining technology domain, providing substantial financial and mentoring support and nurturing founders from top institutions, including the IITs. Furthermore, Prof. Kumar leads a cohort of more than 25 engineering entrepreneurs engaged in technology development, innovation, and entrepreneurial activities within TEXMiN.

Prof. Kumar has overseen over 40 technology development projects at TEXMiN, with ten technologies successfully commercialized and adopted in coal and metal mines. His leadership in research and development has attracted funding exceeding ₹400 million from prominent agencies, including Coal India Ltd. (CIL), the Ministry of Mines (MoM), the Ministry of Coal (MoC), DST, the Department of Space (DoS), the Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR), and the Ministry of Education (MoE). His innovations include the development and commercialization of three indigenous mining technologies aimed at enhancing operational safety, intelligence, and sustainability.

As a dedicated academic mentor, Prof. Kumar has guided 22 PhD scholars in the fields of mine digitization, automation, remote sensing, and GIS. His scholarly output includes over 50 peer-reviewed articles published in SCI-indexed journals recognized by the WOS. He has also completed over 80 industrial projects, valued at approximately Rs. 350 million, covering mine digitization, monitoring, and digitalization, and has played a key role in major engineering projects, including the orientation and alignment of the Chenani–Nasri Road Tunnel, which connects Jammu and Srinagar.

Prof. Kumar is committed to professional development and training, having organized over 50 Professional Development Programmes (PDPs) ranging from one to fourteen weeks, through which he has trained more than 700 mining executives in cutting-edge digital technologies for the mining sector. He also launched the M. Tech Geomatics program at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, emphasizing LIDAR, AI-based image processing, drones, and optical and microwave remote sensing. Additionally, he has promoted international relations and alumni engagement, innovation centers, societal mission initiatives, and media/branding activities at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad.

He is a key member of several government and industry advisory panels, serving as a coordinator and member of national initiatives such as the Satellite-Based IIRS Outreach Programme on GIS/GPS/Remote Sensing (IIRS), GIS Academia Council of India, National Geodetic and Geospatial Consortium (DST, GoI), and the RESPOND program of SAC, ISRO.