Dr. Vinay Kumar Sindhu joined PAU as Assistant Professor (Agronomy) at KVK, Gurdaspur in April 2008. He served at KVKs Gurdaspur (2008–2010) and Fatehgarh Sahib (2010–2011), then as Assistant Seed Production Specialist at University Seed Farm (USF), Nabha (2011–2019). He later worked as Agronomist in the Department of Agronomy (2019–2020) and School of Organic Farming (2020–2021), and currently serves as Senior Agronomist (Water Management) at the Centre for Water Technology & Management, PAU, Ludhiana (2021–present). Dr. Sindhu contributed to 17 technological recommendations in PAU’s Package of Practices and has completed 3 and is currently involved in 4 research projects focused on irrigation water use efficiency. He has published 29 research papers, 2 bulletins, 3 book chapters, 1 course compendium, 2 practical manuals, 32 abstracts, 8 booklets, and over 50 extension articles. He has taught UG and PG courses on crop production and water management, and guided three postgraduate students. He participated in 34 workshops/symposia and four refresher courses. At USF, Nabha, productivity significantly increased—wheat (16.75 to 20.03 q/acre), rice (16.7 to 26.0 q/acre), maize (4.25 to 10.2 q/acre)—doubling annual farm income from ₹1.65 crore to ₹3.51 crore. He conducted 42 frontline and 8 method demonstrations; organized 78 training programs; delivered 30 lectures and 8 radio/TV talks; led 6 exposure visits and 23 exhibitions.

Professional Accomplishments

Research projects 

• Strategic integration of agro-techniques for sustainable water use in spring maize (PI)
• Precision irrigation in major cropping systems of Punjab using artificial intelligence and sub surface drip system (Co-PI)

• Rejuvenation of declining orchards (Co-PI)
• Improvement of S & T Infrastructure in Universities and Higher Educational Institutions DST-FIST program (Co-PI)
• Third Party Evaluation and Cost Benefit Analysis of works of laying Underground Pipeline System (UGPS) based on Random Control Trials (Co-PI)-Completed

• North Indian Centre for Water Technology Research in Agriculture (Associated)-Completed

• Enhancing water use efficiency in rice-wheat cropping system using Internet of Things (Co-PI)-Completed

Selected Research Publications:

• Sindhu V K, Singh S and Brar A S (2024) Water resource scenario in Punjab: challenges and technological interventions for sustainable use in agriculture. Agric. Res. J., 61, 483-498. 10.5958/2395-146X.2024.00062.0.  
• Anjaly V, Sindhu V K and Singh K (2024) Agronomical Interventions for Improving Sugarcane Water Productivity: A Review. Sugar Tech. 26: 1053–1067. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12355-024-01459-0

• Dhayal D, Lal K, Khanna M, Sudhishri S, Brar A S, Sindhu V K, Singh M, Bhattacharyya R, Rajath E, Rosin K G and Chakraborty D (2023). Performance of surface and subsurface drip fertigated wheat-moongbean-maize cropping system under different irrigation schedules and nutrient doses. Agricultural Water Management, 284:108338.

• Khedwal R S, Chaudhary A, Sindhu V K, Yadav D B, Kumar N, Chhokar R S, Poonia T M, Kumar Y and Dahiya S (2023). Challenges and technological interventions in rice–wheat system for resilient food–water–energy–environment nexus in North–western Indo–Gangetic Plains: A review. Cereal Research Communication, https://doi.org/10.1007/s42976-023-00355-9.

• Brar A S, Kaur K, Sindhu V K, Tsolakis N and Srai J S (2022). Sustainable Water Use through Multiple Cropping Systems and Precision Irrigation. Journal of Cleaner Production 333: 130117.

Awards/Honours/Distinctions:

• APWSS Travel Award 2017 by Asian-Pacific Weed Science Society in recognition of outstanding abstract of doctoral research to attend 26th APWSS conference from September 19-22, 2017 at Kyoto, Japan.
• IWSS Travel Grant Award 2016 by International Weed Science Society to present doctoral research at 7th International Weed Science Congress from June 19-25, 2016 at Prague, Czech Republic.
• Best poster award during 4th International Agronomy Congress during November 22-26, 2016 at New Delhi.
• ICAR-Junior Research Fellowship.

Education: B. Sc. Agri. (Hons.), CCS HAU, Hisar (2002); M. Sc. (Agronomy), PAU Ludhiana (2005); Ph. D. (Agronomy), CCS HAU, Hisar (2017)

Positions held: Assistant Professor, KVK, Gurdaspur (2008 –2010); KVK, Fatehgarh Sahib (2010-2011); Assistant Seed Production Specialist, University Seed Farm, Nabha (2011-2019); Agronomist, Department of Agronomy, PAU, Ludhiana (2019-2020); Agronomist, School of Organic Farming (2020–2021); Senior Agronomist, Centre for Water Technology & Management, Department of Agronomy, PAU, Ludhiana (2021-till date)