Area of specialization
Urdbean, lentil and rajmash breeding
Current area of research
- Varietal development in urdbean, lentil and rajmash
- Molecular breeding for disease resistance traits in urdbean
- Molecular breeding for heat tolerance traits in lentil
- Biofortification research in urdbean and rajmash
Major research achievements
- Developed seven urdbean varieties (IPU 13-6 Tapti, IPU 19-10 Narmada, IPU 17-2 Dristi, IPU 13-1, IPU 11-02, IPU 10-26, IPU 17-1) accounting for 20–30% of the national breeder seed indent over the last three years, and six lentil varieties (IPL 341, IPL 342, IPL 534, IPL 225, IPL 329, IPL 230).
- Developed and registered nine donors — high seed Zn (HPU 120S), high seed Fe (IPU 99-143), sympodial plant type (SPS5), partially male sterile (IPU 99-167) and extra earliness (IPU 19-27) in urdbean; fusarium wilt resistance (IPLPBR-1, IG 54) in lentil; extra earliness (IPM 205-7, IPM 409-3) in mungbean.
- Developed functional markers (CAPS, TSP and KASP) for selection of MYMIV-resistant plants.
- Reported heat tolerance mechanisms through transcriptomic analysis in lentil and developed a draft genome assembly of a wild Vigna.
Awards and recognitions
- Netaji Subhas ICAR International Fellowship
- Best Scientist Award 2020 (young scientist category)
- Recognition certificate from ICAR-IIPR, 2024
- Best Poster and Best Oral Presentation Awards 2026 (NCPULSES, ISPRD, Kanpur)
- INSA and ANRF travel grants to attend ICLGG 2024
- Editorial board member — Legume Science, Journal of Food Legumes
- Fellowship and associateship of ISPRD, Kanpur
Publications
Personal information
- Date of joining ICAR
May 2010
- Discipline and specialization
Genetics And Plant Breeding
Training & Exposure
Biofortification research, Use of molecular markers in plant breeding