Higher Education: Quality and Management

Dr. Pradeep Kumar Singhal has broad interests in several areas of biology: Ecology, Environmental Microbiology, Biostatistics and bioinformatics. He has performed extensive research on biodiversity, ecology and ecosystem functions of lakes, ponds, rivers and reservoirs in Central India for the last 25 years. He has supervised the dissertation work of a large number of M.Phil. and Ph.D. students. He has successfully completed many major research projects and published over 30 research papers. His publications in the reputed international journals like Water Research, Aquatic Botany, Hydrobiologia, etc. have earned him a wide acclaim from the world scientific community. He has traveled widely and lectured at many institutions. He has chaired many technical sessions and delivered invited talks in national and international seminars/symposia. He is intimately involved in many field out-reach activities such as monitoring of biodiversity, management of habitats, controls of fluorosis, etc. He is expert member with board of studies with many Universities.

Born on 31st December, 1944, Dr Khurana is presently the Director, Central Potato Research Institute and Project Co-ordinator, All India Potato Improvement Project. He is a widely traveled, eminent plant virologist having over 30 years of research experience in potato crop. Having a distinguished academic record, Dr Khurana had post-doctoral research work in Japan and USA. He has also served as CIP/FAO consultant and has guided several Ph.D students, organized/coordinated a number of training courses, seminars/conferences and contributed more than 150research articles/reviews/book chapters, etc. besides being author/editor of many research bulletins and five books. He has also been the editor of journals of various other professional societies. He is the founder member of Indian Potato Association and has served it is various capacities. He is a recipient of several awards and honours like IPS Mundkur Memorial Award/Gold Medal for his work in the field of immuno-diagnostics, CPRI (ICAR) Golden Jubilec-Outstanding Achievement Award, Dr S. Ramanujam Memorial (Lecture) Award, Best Scientist award of the year 2002 by National Environment Science Academy, Bharat Excellence Award, etc. he is a distinguished Fellow of various professional societies including that of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, New Delhi.