A Profile

Dr. S. M. Paul Khurana

Vice Chancellor, Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalaya, Jabalpur

 

 

Dr. Khurana is a doctorate from University of Gorakhpur  (1968).from where he did his M. Sc. (1965) also. He did two years’(1970-72) post-doctoral work on Advanced Plant Virology at Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan. He also worked at University of Minnesota, St. Paul USA on Immunodiagnostics (bIo-technology) during a sabbatical of one year (1987-88)

 

The various positions he has held include the following:

·         Vice Chancellor, Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalaya (2004 onwards)

·         Director, CPRI, Shimla (2002-2004)

·         Project Coordinator (Potato), AICRP (Potato), Shimla (1994-2004)

·         Principal Scientist & Head Plant Pathology, CPRI, Shimla (1988-1993)

·         Has been actively engaged with Universities as Academic Councillor or member for Advisory/Executive for HPU, Shimla, UHF, Solan, CCS University, Meerut, SAIF-PU, Chandigarh, NRCM, SILB, Solan, HPKVV, Palampur.

·         Member of Research/Scientific panels of DST, DBT, ICAR, etc.

 

Dr. Khurana has also held prestigious positions in various professional associations such as:

·         Indian Potato Association: President for three terms, Editor-in-Chief for three terms and also Secretary for one term

·         Aphidological Society: Vice President for one term and Editor for two terms

·         Indian Virol. Society: Editor-in-Chief for two terms and Editor for one term

·         Indian Phytopath. Society: President for one term, Editor for three years

 

         Dr. Khurana was awarded CPRI Golden Jubilee Outstanding Achievements Award (2000). Best Scientist of the Year (2002) Award. Dr. S. Ramanujam Memorial Award for Outstanding research & Leadership in Potato R & D in India, UNO Award 2006-Dr. Radhakrishanan International Award for Excellence in Higher Education amongst almost two dozen & odd others.

 

         Dr. Khurana is a Fellow of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, New Delhi; National Academy of Biological Sciences, Chennai (India) and Distinguished Fellow of the Indian Potato Association. He was the first Indian to deliver the keynote address at the Seventh Olympiad of the Mind at Paris (May 2005)

 

            Dr. Khurana has published over 200 original research papers. His research career is spangled with achievements like standardisation, use of ELISA & ISEM for detection of potato viruses, development of simple techniques for screening of resistance to potato viruses, apart from pioneering work in detection of plant diseases; associated with selection/release of eight potato varieties including the first ever two processing varieties in India. Besides his prolonged research management experience, he has guided ten Ph.D. students, written many monographs/bulletins and authored/edited a number of books/conference proceedings.

 

His  colleagues/superiors  and  friends  believe  that  he is an Institution by himself: a

scientist,  research  manager, leader and an achiever  i.e.  he has been a crusader,

and his enthusiasm is ‘contagious’.