Dr. Dilip Boralkar is a distinguished environmental scientist with nearly five decades of experience in pollution control, environmental regulation, and air quality management at both national and international levels. He has held key leadership roles at the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), where, as Member Secretary, he championed proactive governance and promoted public–private partnerships for developing environmental infrastructure. He has represented India at the United Nations Basel Convention on Hazardous Wastes and contributed as an expert member to several high-level committees constituted by state and central governments, as well as the judiciary. His pioneering research on developing an air quality index for Mumbai, integrating plant response and physico-chemical data, earned international recognition early in his career. In recognition of his lifelong contributions to environmental protection and air quality management, he has been honored with the IICAQM 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award.