Shailesh Nayak (born 21 August 1953) is an Indian scientist and is currently Director of the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Chancellor of TERI School of Advanced Studies and Distinguished Scientist in the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

[1][1] He has also served as director of the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, INCOIS, Hyderabad, India,[2] an autonomous institution under ESSO (May 2006 to July 2008).

At ESSO-INCOIS, he set up a state-of-the-art Early Warning System for Tsunami and Storm Surges in the Indian Ocean.

He made outstanding contributions in improving advisory services related to potential fishing zones, ocean state forecast, and Indian Argo project.

[4] On August 31, 2015, he relinquished his post of Secretary of Ministry of Earth Sciences, Indian Government.