Dr Mangala Rai elected new president of NAAS

New Delhi, Jan 4 (UNI) Dr Mangala Rai, Secretary, DARE and DG, ICAR, has been elected as new President of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), India for a term of three years.

Dr Rai took over charge on January 1, 2008 from the outgoing President Prof M S Swaminathan, a world acclaimed agricultural scientist.

NAAS is a premier body of over 460 eminent agricultural scientists in India and abroad which includes 5 World Food Laureates. The Academy's major objective is to promtoe ecologically sustainable agriculture, recognise and promote excellence in the field of agricultural sciences in India.

Dr Rai served on important positions such as Project Coordinator (Linseed); OSD-Technology Mission on Oilseeds, Assistant Director-General (Seeds); Assistant Director-General (Policy&Perspective Planning): and Director-General (Crop Science).

He has more than 200 publications/presentations in important journals.

Dr Rai is nominated on the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Cabinet and on the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister.

He is conferred D.Sc (Honors Causa) by ten universities including the Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, and G B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - the oldest University in India.

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