Maharaj K. Pandit is a Professor and Dean at the Jindal School of Environment & Sustainability, and Director, Global Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies, O.P. Jindal Global University. He is a former Radcliffe Fellow, Harvard University, CEO, Institution of Eminence and Chair/Dean, Research, Dean, Faculty of Science, Professor and Chair, Department of Environmental Studies and the Director of the Centre for Inter-disciplinary Studies of Mountain & Hill Environment at the University of Delhi.

Raj's research focuses on Himalayan ecology, conservation and sustainability that follows a synthesis approach to understanding interconnectedness of ecological patterns, evolutionary processes, biotic extinctions driven by land-use changes resulting from large-scale developmental projects such as dam-building and climate change on the Himalayan biodiversity, ecosystems and the region as a whole. He studies genomic traits influencing plant invasiveness and rarity.

Professor Pandit was Ngee Ann Kongsi Distinguished Visiting Professor and Visiting Senior Fellow in the University Scholars Programme (2019) and held an adjunct appointment in the Department of Geography at the National University of Singapore (2012-2013). He is also an Adjunct Full Professor in the Department of Natural Resources Science at the University of Rhode Island (2016- ). He earned his Ph.D. at University of Delhi and is an international member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, Fellow, Indian National Science Academy and National Academy of Sciences of India.