Birth & Educations: I was born on July 1^st 1976 at Kopaganj, Distt. Mau, UP. and got my primary education in hometown. After my Matriculation and Intermediate from UP Board of High School and Intermediate Education, Allahabad, joined CS Azad University of Agriculture & Technology, Kanpur in 1994 for graduation programme in Agriculture. Thereafter, moved to GB Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar in 1998 for my Master’s & Doctoral Degrees in Plant Pathology.

Positions hold: After completion of my PhD, I stated my professional carrier as Junior Scientist-cum-Assistant Professor at Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi on July 22, 2004 and served the University till Dec 30, 2010. After selection as Senior Scientist through direct recruitment by ASRB, joined ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi on Dec 31, 2010 and got promoted as Principal Scientist on Dec 31, 2016. I have been serving for the last ~12 years at ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi and shouldering major responsibilities of for detection and taxonomic identification of seed-borne fungi associated with germplasm under exchange for quarantine clearance as a ‘National Service’ since Dec 31 2010. In addition, I have national and international exposure through training/workshops in relevant field of Plant biosecurity/ plant disease/pest diagnostics organized by CAB Internal Academy (Plantwise), Ontario Institute of Biodiversity, University of Guelph, Canada USDA and Tuskegee University, Alabama, USA. Recently nominated as Seed Health Expert by DAC & FW, MoA, Govt. of India for preparation of document in compliance to Import Plant Health requirements of European Union.

Awards/Honours: Young Scientist Award conferred by UP Council of Science & Technology, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow in 2009; Smt. Kavuri Sarada Memorial Award conferred by the Plant Protection Association of India in 2014; Outstanding Scientist Award conferred by VDGOOD Professional Association, Villupuram Tamil Nadu in 2020; Scientist of the Year Award (2019) conferred by Agricultural & Environmental Technology Development Society, U.S. Nagar, UK, India in 2019; Prof. M. J. Narsimhan Commendation Award conferred by Indian Phytopathological Society, New Delhi for PhD Thesis research work in 2004; Young Scientist Presentation Award for presentation entitled “Studies on Phomopsis blight of Brinjal with special reference to variability in Phomopsis vexans (Sacc. and Syd.) Harter, the incitant of the disease” by Indian Phytopathological Society (MEZ) on Dec. 11-12, 2003; Young Scientist Presentation Award for presentation entitled “Anthracnose of Chillies: Variability in causal fungus Colletotrichum capsici (Syd.) Butler and Bisby” by Indian Phytopathological Society (MEZ) on Dec. 05-07, 2002; Scroll of Honour awarded by Indian Phytopathological Society, New Delhi for dedicated services as Zonal Councillor (Delhi Zone) in 2016; Reviewer Excellence Award conferred by Agricultural Research Communication, Karnal in 2019; Best Presentation Awards (12) in various National/ International Conferences/Symposia, Seminars, etc.; Best Poster Awards (09) in various National/ International Conferences/Symposia, Seminars, etc.; Editor/ Associate Editor/ Technical Editor/ EB Member of 10 Scientific Journals.

Fellow: IPS Fellow conferred by Indian Phytopathological Society, New Delhi 2019; SPPS Fellow conferred by Society of Plant Protection Sciences, New Delhi in 2010.

Research Areas: With more than 18 years of professional research experience and contributions in various aspects of Plant Pathology though several In-house as well as Externally funded projects sponsored by DBT/ DST/ CABI/ICAR, the overall objectives of my research are: Seed health testing of crop germplasm and their wild relatives; Diagnostic protocol development for seed-borne fungal/bacterial pathogens; Genetic diversity studies in fungal pathogens using molecular markers in addition to morphometry; Plant biosecurity and plant genetic resource management; large-scale phenotyping for identification of resistant sources against diseases in field crops