Educational Qualification

• B. Sc. (Agril.) with CGPA 8.77/10/00, Top Scorer in the University from Dr. PDKV, Akola (1998)
• M.Sc. (Genetics & Plant Breeding) with CGPA 8.64/10.00 from Dr. PDKV, Akola (2000)
• Ph. D. (Agril. Botany with specialization in Genetics & Plant Breeding) from Ch. Charan Singh University, Meerut, UP (2005)
• NET (Plant Breeding) conducted by ASRB, New Delhi (2001)

Summary of Experience (as on 24-12-2017)

• In the cadre of Assistant Professor:               4 Years and 5 months
• In the cadre of Associate Professor:              8 Years and 1 month (including 11 months experience as Post Doc at Cornell University, Ithaca, USA from Nov. 2010 to Sept. 2011 as part of BOYSCAST Fellowship of DST)

Teaching and Learning

• Participated in the course curricula development of different subjects as per different state level committees (MCAER); and ICAR’s, V Dean (for UG courses)
• Taught various subjects to postgraduate students and performed other related tasks such as exam paper setting/ examining/ evaluation of students at MPKV, Rahuri.
• Recognized University teacher to supervise/ guide Doctoral (Ph. D.) and Post Graduate Students of MPKV, Rahuri and earlier at Dr. PDKV, Akola.
• Guided 11 M.Sc. students and guiding 4 Ph. D students.

Member of academic/ education and research related statutory bodies

• Board of Studies in Agricultural Botany, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Kishi Vidyapeeth, Akola as Member Secretary (2007 to November 2009)
• Member of Institute Management Committee of ICAR-National Institute of Abiotic Stress Management, Malegaon, Baramati as DG-ICAR nominee (from July 2017 to July 2020).

Member of Professional Societies

• Life Member of National Academy of Biological Sciences, Chennai (from 2015).
• Life Member of National Academy of Sciences India (NASI, Allahabad from 2010).

Externally Funded Projects

• ICAR: “Pigeonpea Genomics Initiative” as Co-PI (2006 to 2009; total funding ~35.00 lakhs)        
• DBT: “Deployment of molecular markers in chickpea breeding for developing superior cultivars with enhanced disease resistance” as Co-PI (2009-10 till 2013-14; total funding ~Rs. 27 lakhs
• Ministry of Agriculture, GoI: “Delivering more produce and income to farmers through enhancing genetic gains for chickpea and pigeonpea” as PI (2017-18 to 2019-2020; total funding Rs. 53.00 lakhs)

Research Publications

Citation H-Index: 21 and Number of Citations: 2235 (source: Google Scholar)

• Peer Reviewed International Journals: 37
• Peer Reviewed National Journals: 11
• As Book/ Compendium Chapters: 08
• In Proceedings/ Newsletters: 07
• Popular Articles: 02
• Editorial Committee Member: 2 Journals (PLOS ONE; Journal of Agril. Research & Technology)
• Reviewer for more than a dozen international journals

Awards

• Associateship of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) 2014.
• BOYSCAST Fellowship of DST, Govt. of India for 2009-10.
• Platinum Jubilee Young Scientist Award of the National Academy of Sciences India (NASI, Allahabad) for the year 2008.
• INSA Medal for Young Scientist of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA, New Delhi) for the year 2007.
• Dr. Norman Borlaug International Agril. Science& Technology Fellowship for training at the University of California, Davis, USA during Oct-Nov 2006.
• International Society for Plant Molecular Biology’ Travel Award to attend XIII Plant & Animal Genome Conference held at San Diego, USA, January 15-19, 2005.
• Senior Research Fellowship from the CSIR, New Delhi for Ph.D. research work.
• University Merit Scholarships for the B.Sc. & M.Sc. degree programmes.