Birth & Educations: Born in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh on February 2, 1963. Educated at VSAV Inter Collage, Gola, Gorakhpur, 1977 (High School) and 1979 (Intermediate); Gorakhpur University Gorakhpur, 1982, B.Sc. (Ag); CS Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur 1984 (M.Sc. Ag-Plant Pathology); 1988 (Ph.D.).

Positions hold: Assistant Director General (Plant Protection and Biosafety), Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, 2021 to date. Assistant professor cum Junior Scientist, Department of Plant Pathology, BAU Ranchi 1989-1994; Assistant professor cum Junior Scientist (Senior Scale) 1994-1998; Associate Professor cum Senior Scientist 1998-2001; Senior Scientist, Division of Plant Pathology, ICAR-IARI, New Delhi 2001-2006; Principal Scientist 2006-2014; Head, Division of Plant Quarantine, ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi 2014-2021.

Awards/Honours: Young Scientist Award, 1989; INSA Visiting Scientist Fellowship; K.P.V. Menon award, IPS, New Delhi for 2004, 2009, 2011 & 2012; Dastur Memorial Lecture Award 2015, IPS, New Delhi.

Fellow: National Academy of Agriculture Sciences (2022); National Academy of Biological Sciences, Chennai; Indian Phytopathological Society, New Delhi; Society of Mycology and Plant Pathology, Udaipur.

Research Areas: Mycology and Plant Pathology, molecular plant pathology, genetic diversity, race profiling, diagnostics, host-pathogen interaction, epidemiology and management using host resistance and biocontrol agents. Quarantine processing of plant genetic resources including transgenic.