Crop Science and Plant Breeding

Dr. B. P. Pal (1906–1989)

• First Indian Director-General of ICAR.
• Contributed immensely to wheat and rose breeding.
• Founded the Indian Society of Genetics and Plant Breeding.
• Awarded Padma Vibhushan for his contribution to agricultural research.

Dr. R. H. Richharia

• Renowned rice scientist from Madhya Pradesh.
• Conserved thousands of indigenous rice varieties of India.
• Worked for the preservation of genetic diversity in rice.

Dr. E. A. Siddiq

• Known for his work on hybrid rice development in India.
• Contributed to increasing productivity and sustainability in rice cultivation.

Dr. C. D. Mayee

• Contributed significantly to cotton improvement and integrated pest management (IPM).
• Former Chairman of Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB).

Dr. Gurdev Singh Khush

• Indian-origin rice breeder at IRRI (Philippines).
• Developed more than 300 high-yielding rice varieties, including IR36 and IR64.
• Received World Food Prize (1996).

Dr. D. R. Bhumbla

• Soil scientist who contributed to research on saline and alkaline soils.
• Played a key role in the reclamation of salt-affected lands in India.

Soil Science and Fertility Management

Dr. S. P. Raychaudhuri

• Father of Soil Science in India.
• Founder of the Indian Society of Soil Science.
• Worked extensively on soil fertility, classification, and management.

• Dr. N. P. Avasthi: Pioneer in fertilizer use efficiency and soil nutrient management.
• Dr. A. K. Sarkar: Contributed to studies on micronutrients and soil-plant relationships.
• Dr. R. L. Aggarwal: Recognized for work on micronutrient deficiencies in Indian soils.

Irrigation, Water Management, and Dryland Agriculture

• V. A. Parthasarathy: Contributed to sustainable horticulture and water management practices.
• Mohan Singh Mehta: Pioneer in community development and agricultural extension education.
• D. R. Singh: Known for his research in agricultural communication, diffusion, and adoption of innovations.
• V. M. Rao: Economist who worked on rural credit systems and agricultural development planning.
• K. N. Singh: Extension education expert who emphasized participatory rural appraisal (PRA) techniques.
• H. P. Singh: Former DDG (Horticulture), ICAR. Instrumental in developing the National Horticulture Mission.
• S. K. Mitra: Known for postharvest management and fruit crop improvement.
• K. V. Peter: Made major contributions to vegetable breeding, particularly in spices and tuber crops. Former Director, Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR).
• Amrita Patel: Former Chairperson of NDDB after Verghese Kurien. Led Operation Flood Phase III and strengthened the cooperative dairy model.
• M. M. Singh: Noted for cattle breeding and improving milk yield through crossbreeding programs.
• A. R. Pandey; Expert in animal nutrition and fodder production.
• V. G. Jhingran: Known as the Father of Inland Fisheries in India. Authored the book “Fish and Fisheries of India.”
• V. M. Dandekar; Developed methods for crop forecasting and agricultural statistics.
• Deepak Pental: Developed transgenic mustard (GM mustard) in India. Former Vice-Chancellor, Delhi University.
• P. Ananda Kumar: Scientist behind Bt brinjal development in India.

International Agricultural Scientists

• Dr. Peter Jennings (USA) Developed IR8 rice, known as “Miracle Rice,” at IRRI, which revolutionized Asian agriculture.
• Dr. Robert Fraley (USA): Key scientist in the development of genetically modified crops (Monsanto).
• Dr. Monty Jones (Sierra Leone): Discovered NERICA (New Rice for Africa) varieties—hybrids between African and Asian rice species.
• Awarded World Food Prize (2004).