Dr. Mohammad Rihan is currently serving as the Director general of national Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), Ministry of New and renewable energy, Government of India. He has been appointed on this position for three years on deputation on the approval of Appointments Committee of cabinet, government of India. 

Before joining as DG, NISE Dr. Rihan has served as a Professor of Electrical Engineering with experience of about 22 years with significant contributions in the areas of smart grid and Solar Energy; both areas under National missions. He Is also the Founder Director and Coordinator of the centre for Grid Integrated Green and Renewable Energy in the campus to address the research challenges presented by high penetration of renewable energy in the grid. 

He has successfully guided 06 Ph.D. scholars in the areas of smart grid, solar energy, and synchrophasors measurement. He is guiding 06 PhD scholars at present as supervisor. Two of his present PhD scholars have been awarded the prestigious and highly competitive Prime Ministers’ Research Fellowship (PMRF).

Dr. Rihan has authored a textbook on ‘Green Energy and Sustainable Development’ to be published by Cambridge University Press (UK). He has authored a book on Green Energy Transition in India-Including the success story of AMU and another book on Advanced Control Systems also. He has contributed an invited chapter on Applications and Requirements of Smart Grid in a book published by Springer Nature. 

He has led the integration of 6.5MWp solar PV plants in the AMU campus distribution grid; the largest such installation in any academic institution in the country. It includes a project of Rs. 20 Cr. for 3.3 MWp solar farm; a unique installation in any academic institute in the country. He has conducted training programs for senior engineers of electricity distribution companies, engineers and entrepreneurs under the MNRE-USAID PACE D initiative. He has also completed sponsored research projects of UPCST, MNRE and UGC.

He has conceptualized and started a Joint M.Tech program on Green Energy and Sustainable Development with the National Institute of Solar Energy. The program is in line with the national requirements for green energy transition and the National Education Policy. He has established a new Virtual Instrumentation and Smart Systems lab in the department. 

He is a recipient of Gold Medal for securing first position in B.Tech. (Electrical Engineering).  He is an elected Fellow of the IET(UK), IE(India), and IETE. He is Senior Member of IEEE and Chair-Elect of the executive committee of IEEE UP Section for 2024. He is elected vice chair of executive committee of Delhi local network of IET(UK) for 2023 and 2024.

Dr. Rihan headed the entire electricity setup; both conventional and renewable of the university during Dec 2015 to Apr 2024 as Member Incharge. The campus has a huge electricity network of 8.5MVA capacity. In this role he served as the technical, financial, and administrative head of the department.

Dr. Rihan has also served as the member secretary of Central Project Implementation and Monitoring Committee of the university which is responsible for allocation, evaluation and execution of consultancy work related to projects of national importance like smart city. He has, in addition, provided technical consultancy to various projects of smart city, Agra, Aligarh and Bareilly and to the UP-Power Transmission Corporation Limited.

He has delivered keynote and invited talks on climate change, solar energy and smart grid at numerous organizations, industry, and institutes.