Birth & Educations: Born in Ogalur, Tamil Nadu on 10 June 1969. Educated at Rani Seethai Aachi Higher Secondary School, 1984 (SSLC); Government Higher Secondary School, Labbaikudikadu, 1986 (H.Sc); Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, 1986-1990 (B.Sc Agri); Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University,Varanasi, UP 1990-1992 (M.Sc Ag (Mycology & Plant Pathology); Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 1992-1997 (Ph.D Plant Pathology).

Positions hold: Scientist (1997 - 2006), Senior Scientist (2006- 2012) and Principal Scientist (2012- till date) at ICAR- Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram.

Awards/Honours: Jawaharlal Nehru Award for Post graduate Agricultural Research  for the outstanding contribution in the field of Plant Pathology , awarded by Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi; Department of Biotechnology overseas Associateship to undergo advanced level training in Germany for one year period (September 2008 – September 2009) at DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany; Prof. M. J.  Narasimhan Academic Award, KPV Menon Award, SN Dasgupta Memorial Award from Indian Phytopathological Society, New Delhi; Banaras Hindu University medal, BHU, Varanasi, UP

Fellow: Indian Phytopathological Society, Indian Virological Society

Research Areas: Mycology & Plant Pathology; Molecular Plant Pathology and Biotechnology, host-pathogen interaction, Molecular diagnosis, Transgenics for Disease resistance