ICAR recognizes ICRISAT scientist with prestigious Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award
Dr Rajeev Varshney, Director, ICRISAT’s Genetic Gains Research Program, was named a recipient of Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award on 16 July. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to agriculture research.
This award is for Dr Varshney’s research contributions to crop sciences. He is internationally renowned for work in the area of plant genomics and genomics-assisted crop breeding. At ICRISAT, he has led teams that have sequenced some of the most important dryland crops including pigeonpea, chickpea, groundnut and pearl millet.
Mr Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India, presided over the virtual awards ceremony during ICAR’s 92nd Foundation Day.
“It is an acknowledgment of ICRISAT and its partners’ contributions to agriculture research. I thank my colleagues and collaborators at ICRISAT, ICAR, all institutes in India and in other parts of the world for their contributions and support,” Dr Varshney said.
The Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award is given annually to individuals in recognition of research excellence in Crop & Horticultural Sciences, Natural Resources Management and Agricultural Engineering, Animal & Fisheries Sciences and Social Sciences. The award was instituted in 1956 and every category carries a ₹ 5 lakh prize.
To see Dr Varshney’s publications, click here. A list of publications in Nature can be accessed here.
