Introduction
The National Institute of Disaster Management, commonly known as NIDM, is India’s principal national institution for disaster management training, research, documentation, policy support and capacity building. It operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
NIDM works with central and state governments, universities, research institutions, civil society organizations, technical agencies, corporate bodies and international partners. Its activities cover natural hazards, human-induced emergencies, climate-related risks, resilient infrastructure, disaster response, recovery and inclusive disaster risk reduction.
NIDM is not a private foundation, philanthropic donor or enterprise foundation. It is a statutory government institution established by law. However, it provides selected research grants, doctoral fellowships, internships and institutional support related to disaster studies.
History and Background
NIDM originated as the National Centre for Disaster Management, established in 1995 within the Indian Institute of Public Administration. It was created during the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction to strengthen India’s capacity to manage disasters.
Following the transfer of disaster management responsibilities to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Centre was upgraded to the National Institute of Disaster Management on 16 October 2003. The institution was formally inaugurated in August 2004.
NIDM became a statutory organization under the Disaster Management Act, 2005. Section 42 of the Act assigned it national responsibilities for disaster management training, research, documentation, information development and capacity building.
The Institute now operates through its Delhi campus and a South Campus located in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh.
Mission and Purpose
NIDM’s vision is to become a leading national and international centre of excellence for disaster risk mitigation, training and research. It also seeks to promote a culture of prevention, preparedness and resilience throughout India.
Its principal purposes include:
- Supporting government policy formulation.
- Developing trained disaster management professionals.
- Conducting research on natural and human-induced hazards.
- Building the capacity of government officials and community stakeholders.
- Producing disaster management training modules and educational resources.
- Promoting awareness among schools, colleges, technical personnel and civil society.
- Strengthening institutional systems for disaster preparedness and mitigation.
- Facilitating national and international knowledge exchange.
NIDM works as a government think tank and national resource centre. Its objective is not merely to respond after disasters but to reduce risks before emergencies occur.
Governance and Structure
NIDM operates under the administrative authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs and within the broad policy framework established by the National Disaster Management Authority. It does not have private ownership, shareholders or a commercial parent organization.
Under the National Institute of Disaster Management Rules, 2006, the Institute has two principal governance bodies:
- Institute Body: A 42-member body comprising representatives of central ministries, state governments, scientific organizations, research institutions and disaster risk reduction experts.
- Governing Body: A 14-member body responsible for institutional governance and strategic oversight.
The Union Home Minister serves as President of the Institute Body. The Executive Director manages the Institute’s day-to-day administration.
NIDM has six academic divisions:
- Governance and Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction
- Disaster Response and Recovery
- Geo-Meteorological Risk Management
- Resilient Infrastructure
- Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Cyber Risk Management
- Environmental Disaster Risk Management
The Institute also maintains specialized centres and functional coordination cells addressing particular hazards, sectors and disaster management themes.
Funding and Grants
NIDM receives institutional financial support through the Government of India and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Its regular operations, training, research, staffing and infrastructure are supported through government budgetary mechanisms and grants-in-aid.
It should not be confused with the National Disaster Response Fund or State Disaster Response Funds. Those mechanisms finance disaster relief and mitigation, while NIDM primarily supports knowledge development, training, research and institutional capacity.
Research Grants
NIDM provides competitive research support through the India Universities and Institutions Network for Disaster Risk Reduction, known as IUIN-DRR.
Its research initiatives include:
- Doctoral fellowships in disaster studies
- Innovation and action-research projects
- Recognition of outstanding doctoral theses
- Research collaboration with universities and technical institutions
Previous calls have offered eligible faculty members and scientists project grants of up to ₹8 lakh for research lasting no more than two years. These projects are expected to produce practical solutions for reducing disaster risks faced by Indian states and districts.
Doctoral Fellowship Program
The NIDM Doctoral Fellowship Program supports full-time doctoral researchers working in disaster studies at institutions recognized by the University Grants Commission.
For the 2026–27 program, research areas include:
- Landslides
- Floods
- Cyclones
- Earthquakes
- Fires
- Nature-based interventions
- Community-centred interventions
- Urban and infrastructure resilience
- Social, behavioural and health interventions
- Climate and ecosystem knowledge
The fellowship provides:
- ₹37,000 per month plus housing allowance during the first two years under the Junior Research Fellowship.
- ₹42,000 per month plus housing allowance during the remaining approved tenure under the Senior Research Fellowship.
- Annual contingency support.
- Additional reader or escort assistance for eligible researchers with disabilities.
The Institute’s website states that applications for its 2026–27 research initiatives are open until 31 August 2026.
Internship Opportunities
NIDM offers stipend-based and non-stipend internships for eligible undergraduate, postgraduate, MPhil and doctoral students.
The internship program aims to:
- Introduce students to India’s disaster management system.
- Encourage applied research and innovation.
- Develop future disaster management professionals.
- Support research, documentation and institutional projects.
Current stipend-based internships provide ₹12,000 per month for undergraduate students and ₹15,000 per month for postgraduate students, subject to official eligibility and selection requirements.
Major Programs and Initiatives
Training and Capacity Building
Training is one of NIDM’s central responsibilities. The Institute organizes courses, workshops, orientation programs, faculty-development programs and training-of-trainers initiatives.
Participants include:
- Government officials
- Disaster management authorities
- Civil servants
- Police and emergency personnel
- Teachers and school administrators
- Healthcare professionals
- Engineers and planners
- NGOs and community organizations
- Researchers and university faculty
NIDM prepares its annual training calendar in consultation with central ministries, state governments and other stakeholders.
Online Disaster Risk Reduction Courses
NIDM operates online learning programs covering major disaster risk reduction themes.
Available subjects include:
- Community-based disaster risk management
- Earthquake risk reduction
- Climate change and disaster risk
- Damage and reconstruction needs assessment
- Gender and disaster recovery
- Risk-sensitive land-use planning
- Safe cities
- Disaster risk assessment
- Financial strategies for managing disaster impacts
Participants complete assignments and projects and may receive certificates after successfully meeting course requirements.
India Universities and Institutions Network for DRR
IUIN-DRR was established to connect Indian universities and institutions working on disaster risk reduction. It supports research, academic cooperation, knowledge exchange and the integration of disaster studies into higher education.
The network was formally inaugurated in 2021 and supports the national goal of developing a strong university network focused on disaster-related issues.
India Disaster Resource Network
The India Disaster Resource Network supports the collection and organization of information concerning equipment, human resources and emergency-response capabilities.
The platform assists authorities in identifying available resources that may be mobilized during disasters and major emergencies. NIDM lists the network among its principal disaster management projects.
Climate-Resilient National Highways
NIDM is leading work on national highway climate-adaptation policies and guidelines in partnership with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, IIT Delhi, IIT Mandi and Delhi Technological University.
The project examines vulnerable highway sections, climate risks, cost-effective adaptation measures, transport emergency plans and resilience guidelines.
Climate Change and Human Health
NIDM is implementing activities under the National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health with support from the National Centre for Disease Control.
The initiative focuses on:
- Extreme-weather health risks
- Health adaptation plans
- Training state officials
- Standard operating procedures
- Health-sector preparedness
- Monitoring state-level implementation
Disaster Management Planning
NIDM assists government ministries and state institutions in preparing disaster management policies and operational plans.
Current examples include work with the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways to strengthen risk assessment, preparedness, emergency response, rehabilitation and recovery across maritime and inland-waterway sectors.
Agricultural Disaster Risk Management
The Institute is working with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to revise the national drought manual and develop guidance on:
- Cold waves and frost
- Hailstorms
- Pest attacks
- Agricultural early-warning systems
- Climate-resilient farming
- Hazard and vulnerability assessment
Publications and Knowledge Resources
NIDM publishes:
- Research studies
- Disaster documentation reports
- Training modules
- Case studies
- Guidelines and handbooks
- Conference proceedings
- Annual reports
- The Disaster & Development journal
- The TIDINGS newsletter
These publications provide practical knowledge for government agencies, researchers, students, NGOs and disaster management professionals.
Impact and Examples of Work Funded
NIDM’s impact is primarily reflected in stronger institutional capacity, trained professionals, government policies, research outputs and improved disaster preparedness rather than in conventional charitable grants.
Examples of its contribution include:
- Training government officers and disaster management practitioners.
- Supporting state-level policy and capacity development.
- Funding doctoral research on disaster risks.
- Supporting action research through university partnerships.
- Developing national manuals, policies and guidelines.
- Producing online courses and professional training materials.
- Strengthening climate resilience in transport, health and agriculture.
- Building international cooperation through training for officials from partner countries.
Through its doctoral fellowship program, NIDM has supported research on subjects such as cyclone-related migration, flash-flood risk and nutrition-based resilience in disaster management.
In April 2026, NIDM received a four-star “Ati Utkrisht–Excellent” rating under national standards established by India’s Capacity Building Commission. This recognition reflects the Institute’s role in public-sector training and institutional capacity development.
Is NIDM a Donor Organization?
NIDM is not a conventional international donor, charitable foundation or grantmaking enterprise.
It is more accurately classified as a:
- Government training institution
- Disaster management research centre
- Public-policy think tank
- Capacity-building organization
- Research fellowship provider
- Technical knowledge partner
Universities, researchers and students may access funding through specific research calls, fellowships and internships. NGOs and civil society organizations are more likely to engage with NIDM through training, research collaboration, technical partnerships and capacity-building programs than through unrestricted grant applications.
Conclusion
The National Institute of Disaster Management is a central institution within India’s disaster risk reduction and emergency-management system. Since its beginnings as the National Centre for Disaster Management in 1995, it has developed into a statutory national organization responsible for training, research, policy support and knowledge development.
Its major strengths include government-backed institutional authority, specialized academic divisions, university networks, online learning, policy research and partnerships across public, academic and civil society sectors.
Although NIDM is not a traditional philanthropic donor or enterprise foundation, it provides valuable research grants, doctoral fellowships, internships and technical opportunities for individuals and institutions working in disaster management, climate resilience, emergency preparedness and sustainable development.
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