Dr. Vishaw Bandhu Patel

Dr. Vishaw Bandhu Patel is the Assistant Director General (Fruits & Plantation Crops), Horticultural Science Division, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi holding additional Charge of Director, ICAR-Central Institute of Arid Horticulture (CIAH), Bikaner, Rajasthan. He obtained his M.Sc. (Ag.) in Horticulture from G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, and Ph.D. in Horticulture from ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi. Prior to joining ICAR Headquarters, he served as Scientist to Principal Scientist at ICAR-IARI, New Delhi. Besides the ICAR Assignments, Dr. Patel also held key academic and administrative positions at Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, including University Professor cum Chief Scientist, Chairman/ Head of the Department (Horticulture), and Associate Director of Research. Dr. Patel has mainly worked for fruit crop improvement and management. He has been associated with the development and release of four grape varieties and one variety each of bael, litchi, and makhana. Besides development of nutrient standards, leaf sampling protocols, fertilizer recommendations, and several other production technologies for fruit crops. He has also contributed to the formulation and implementation of national horticulture initiatives, including the Clean Plant Programme, BharatGAP, XI Plan Program on Horticulture and the National Horticulture Mission. As Assistant Director General, he coordinates national research programmes on fruits and plantation crops, promoting climate-resilient technologies, quality planting material, and sustainable horticultural production systems. He is a recipient of several prestigious honours, including the ICAR Hari Om Ashram Trust Award, the ICAR Lal Bahadur Shastri Young Scientist Award, the NAAS Young Scientist Award, AAAS Award, The IAHS Shri G. L. Chadha Award in Fruit Science. Dr. Patel has also been honoured with the Agricultural Leadership Award besides IAHS Fellowship for his outstanding contributions to horticultural research and development.