Eminent agricultural scientist Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon was appointed Vice Chancellor of Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) today. His name was cleared by the university’s Board of Management at a meeting in Chandigarh.
Dr Dhillon is known the world over for his scientific breakthroughs in maize breeding. A former Assistant Director-General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, he was chosen from among more than 12 top scientists for the post lying vacant after the tenure of Dr MS Kang came to an end on April 30.
Dr Dhillon will take up his new assignment by next week-end. An alumnus of PAU, it will be a homecoming for Dr Dhillon, who served his alma mater as Director of Research from 2005 to 2007. At present, he is working with the University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany, on maize biotechnology. Talking to The Tribune over the phone from Germany, Dr Dhillon said the biggest challenge before him was to bring agricultural research back on track. ‘‘I am confident that I will be able to organise funds for research.
It just requires the right perspective to convince the government on this. Motivating scientists is another major task that I will take up during my tenure,’’ he said. Dr Dhillon said that addressing the concerns of the farming community and educating them on conservation of resources and the judicious use of pesticides was the need of the hour.
Born in Amritsar in 1947, Dr Dhillon did his doctorate from Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi.
Expressing satisfaction over the appointment, former PAU VC Dr GS Kalkat said:“Dr Dhillon is a competent person and a good human being. He will take the university to greater heights".
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