LUDHIANA

The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has appointed Dr D.S. Bhatti as Additional Director of Extension Education; Dr K.S. Thind as Additional Director of Research (Crop Improvement); and Dr P.S. Pannu as Additional Director of Research (Natural Resource and Plant Health Management). All appointments were approved during the 282nd meeting of the Board of Management, held under the chairmanship of Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, on September 14, 2017. In addition, Dr Sucheta Sharma has been appointed as Head, Department of Biochemistry, PAU.

Dr Bhatti is a senior soil scientist, who has 22 years of vast experience as extension specialist. As Associate Director of Extension Education at PAU, he has been instrumental in coordinating field demonstrations in technology parks at Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), starting Farmers’ Portal, opening of new seed shops, strengthening of Integrate Farming System Models at KVKs, etc. Dr Bhatti has also published 162 extension/research articles, co-authored 15 books/booklets and 12 Package of Practices for Rabi and Kharif Crops, provided personal consultancy to about 90,000 farmers at Plant Clinic and delivered 32 radio/TV talks. He is a recipient of Dr (Mrs) Satwant Kaur Memorial Best Extension Worker Award by PAU in 2007.

Dr Thind is a senior sugarcane breeder who has served asHead, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, PAU; Director, Regional Research Station, Kapurthala; Co-Incharge, Sugarcane Section, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics; and Farm Incharge, Sugarcane Research Station, Jalandhar. He has played a vital role in the development/identification and release of 16 improved sugarcane cultivars of different maturity groups for the Punjab state and two at the national level. He has also been involved in standardizing the protocol of micro-propagation of sugarcane and other recommendations on sugarcane which have been included in Package of Practices for Kharif Crops. Dr Thind has published 37 research papers, co-authored two bulletins, contributed book chapters and 12 popular articles. He has guided three M Sc. students.

Dr Pannu is a senior plant pathologist who has been associated with the working on important diseases of wheat, rice, maize and potato. He has worked on epidemiology and development of integrated disease management technologies for important disease of wheat and rice. He has published 65 research papers, invited papers and more than 25 popular articles. He has guided five M.Sc and four Ph.D students.