Dr. Rajendra Pachauri assumed his current responsibilities as the Chief Executive of TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) in 1981, first as Director and, since April 2001, as Director-General. TERI does original research and provides knowledge in the areas of energy, environment, forestry, biotechnology, and the conservation of natural resources to governments, institutions, and corporate organizations worldwide. To acknowledge his immense contributions to the field of environment, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the President of India in January 2001.

In April 2002, Dr. Pachauri was elected the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, established by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Program in 1988. He has been active in several international forums dealing with the subject of climate change and its policy dimensions. The IPCC, under the direction of Dr. Pachauri along with former Vice President Al Gore were awarded the "Nobel Peace Prize" for the year 2007. Dr. Pachauri was conferred with the "Padma Vibhushan", second highest civilian award, for his services in the field of science and engineering in January 2008 by the President of India. Dr. Pachauri was also bestowed the "Officier De La Légion D'Honneur" by the Government of France in 2006.

Commencing his career with the Diesel Locomotive Works, Varanasi, where he held several managerial positions, Dr. Pachauri joined North Carolina State University in Raleigh, USA, where he obtained an MS in industrial engineering in 1972, a Ph.D. in industrial engineering and a Ph.D. in economics. He also served as Assistant Professor (August 1974-May 1975) and Visiting Faculty Member (Summer 1976 and 1977) in the Department of Economics and Business. On his return to India, he joined the Administrative Staff College of India, Hyderabad, as Member Senior Faculty (June 1975-June 1979) and went on to become Director, Consulting and Applied Research Division (July 1979-March 1981).

He has also been a Visiting Professor, Resource Economics, at West Virginia University (August 1981-August 1982); Senior Visiting Fellow, Resource Systems Institute, East-West Center, USA (May-June 1982); and Visiting Research Fellow, The World Bank, Washington, DC (June-September 1990). Recognizing his vast knowledge and experience in the energy-environment field, the United Nations Development Program appointed him as part-time adviser to its Administrator in the fields of energy and sustainable management of natural resources (1994-99).

Dr. Pachauri's wide-ranging expertise has resulted in his membership of various international and national committees and boards. At the international level, these include his positions as Member, Board of the International Solar Energy Society (1991-97); Member, World Resources Institute Council (1992); President and Chairman, International Association for Energy Economics, Washington, D.C. (1988, 1989-90, respectively); and President, Asian Energy Institute (1992 onwards).The committees of the Government of India to which he has contributed include the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India (July 2001 - May 2004); Advisory Board on Energy, reporting directly to the Prime Minister (1983-88); National Environmental Council, under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister (November 1993 to April 1999); and Oil Industry Restructuring Group, 'R' Group, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (1994).

Dr. Pachauri has also been associated with academic and research institutes. He was on the Board of Directors of the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (January 1999 to September 2003); the Board of Governors, Shriram Scientific and Industrial Research Foundation (September 1987-1990); the Executive Committee and then the Board of Trustees of the India International Centre, New Delhi (1985 onwards);the Governing Council of the India Habitat Centre, where he was President from September 2004 to September 2006, New Delhi (October 1987 onwards); and the Court of Governors, Administrative Staff College of India (1979-81).

In April 2003, Dr. Pachauri was appointed a Director of GAIL (India) Ltd. In August 2002, he was appointed a Director on the Board of National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd, India. In September 1999, he was appointed Chairman of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Heritage Foundation. Earlier, in April 1999, he was appointed Member of the Board of Directors of the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Environment Agency, and the Government of Japan, in which position he still continues. Dr. Pachauri taught at the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, USA, as a McCluskey Fellow from September 6th to December 8th, 2000. He has also authored 23 books and several papers and articles.