Arvind Kumar is an experienced crop scientist with more than 28 years’ experience in crop improvement, trait discovery to drought tolerance, disease- insect resistance and translational research. As Deputy Director General- Research, he leads and provides strategic direction to ICRISAT research in the area of climate resilience, nutrition, crop improvement, genomics-trait development, crops-water-soil-disease management, policy, agribusiness, market linkages and capacity development for ICRISAT-mandated crops grown mostly in the semi-arid regions of the world.
He has a PhD from Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, in plant breeding and post-doctoral training from the International Rice Research Institute, Philippines, on molecular breeding.
Arvind has been bestowed with several awards during his successful research career. These include- Honor from Government of Nepal for contribution to Agriculture in Nepal; Rafi Ahmad Kidwai Award, 2014 in Crop and Horticultural Sciences; Government of India, Fellow, National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (FNAAS); Best Scientist Award of Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur; Young Scientist Award from Madhya Pradesh Council of Science & Technology (MPCOST), Madhya Pradesh, India; and University Gold medal of Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur, India.
Arvind has to his credit more than 62 varieties released and being cultivated in 10 different countries of Asia, Africa. Arvind has identified 7 of the ten known genes for resistance against rice gall midge, QTLs for grain yield under drought, QTLs for grain yield-related traits under dry direct seeded situation, QTLs for tolerance to rice root knot nematode and QTLs for high Fe, high Zn. He has published 162 research manuscripts, 31 chapters, possesses 1 patent and 6 germplasm registrations. Arvind has supervised more than 33 scholars and Post-Doctoral Fellows, many of whom are busy with successful careers in agricultural research, including some in the CGIAR system.
Expertise in: Project planning, management and strategy development, molecular breeding for crop improvement, translation research and climate resilience