The year 2025 marks a momentous milestone for the Indian Society of Engineering Geology (ISEG) as it completed sixty years of dedicated service to the advancement of engineering geology and environmentally responsible geoscientific practices in India on 15th October. Established in 1965 as the India National Group of the International Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment (IAEG), the Society has evolved into the country’s premier professional body bridging geoscience and engineering and has played a crucial role in supporting nation-building through safe, sustainable, and technically sound infrastructure development.

Over the past six decades, ISEG has fostered collaboration among geoscientists, engineers, policymakers, academia, and industry, creating a vibrant platform for knowledge exchange and professional growth. Its contributions span engineering geological mapping, rock mass characterization, geohazard assessment, slope stability, tunnelling investigations, dam foundation studies, and environmental impact evaluation—areas that are fundamental to India’s expanding infrastructure landscape.

The Diamond Jubilee year was commemorated through EGCON-2025, the International Green Conference on Engineering Geology and the Environment, held at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, during 1 - 3 December 2025. The event saw 300 delegates from India and abroad coming together under a common roof and interacting prolifically through plenary and parallel technical sessions addressing in vogue topics like engineering geological modelling, landslide mitigation, liquefaction and ground deformation, tunnel health monitoring, infrastructure risk management, and environmental sustainability. The event embodied the theme “Earth First – A Truly Biodegradable Event,” underscoring ISEG’s commitment to environmentally responsible geoscience and sustainable infrastructure practices.

As part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, the Society undertook significant knowledge dissemination initiatives, including the release of conference proceedings, keynote volumes, extended abstracts, newsletters, and a dedicated 60th Year Celebration Compendium Volume. These publications embody contemporary advances in engineering geological modelling and geotechnical innovation, alongside documenting best practices for resilient infrastructure in diverse geological settings.

ISEG’s commitment to inclusivity and future leadership was reflected in the active participation of Young Engineering Geologists and Women Engineering Geologists through dedicated forums, open house interactions, and recognition of excellence through awards and professional contests.

India is currently experiencing an unprecedented phase of infrastructure expansion, particularly in Himalayan tunnelling, hydropower generation, and pumped storage development aimed at supporting the nation’s renewable energy transition. In this transformative context, ISEG’s role has become even more critical, providing scientific guidance and professional leadership to ensure holistic development initiatives through robust geological understanding and environmental stewardship.

As ISEG steps into its seventh decade, it continues to uphold its founding vision of integrating geoscience with engineering for the safety, sustainability, and prosperity of society. The sixty-year journey of the Society stands as a testament to the enduring relevance of engineering geology in safeguarding lives, optimizing infrastructure, and promoting harmony between development and the environment, while its future trajectory promises continued innovation, collaboration, and service to the nation and the global geoscience community.