Preface

Himalayan cryology

The Himalayan region, including Karakoram, possesses a large concentration of mountain glaciers. In addition, large area is also covered by seasonal snow during winter. Snow and glacier melt during summer provides water to the major Indian rivers. This makes these rivers perennial and they are considered as the lifeline of millions of people living along the banks. However, water availability can be affected due to changes in global and regional climate. This will have a profound impact on the livelihood of millions of people living in the region. Therefore, understanding changes in the cryosphere is important to assess future changes in water availability and its influence on the people. In this context, this special section in Current Science highlights the latest understanding of the Himalayan cryosphere.