Dr Vishal Bector is in the faculty of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, INDIA in the discipline of Farm Machinery & Power Engineering and also presently positioned as Associate Director (Institution Relations) in the office of Vice Chancellor, PAU. He joined PAU as Assistant Professor in 2001 and he is having a vast experience of more than 22 years in academic, research and extension at PAU. Prior to joining services an academician at PAU, he has also worked with Industry (Case New Holland, CNH) as a Corporate Trainer. Professional expertise has been acquired through research and development project activities carried in the areas of farm machinery and power engineering, sensor based precision farm technologies, forecasting and prediction models and data analysis and conservation agriculture, crop residue management machinery, farm machinery management and the accomplishments are well published in national and international journals. He has guided four M.Tech students and one Ph.D student in the discipline of Farm Machinery & Power Engineering. His scientific contributions are well published and presented in the referred national and international journals, books, articles, conference proceedings etc. He has been Awarded Netherlands Fellowship (two times) by the Dutch Government for attaining professional excellence in the areas of management of higher education institutions and training at Netherlands and has visited leading institutions and organisations in USA, Russia, Germany for academic development activities. He has a vast experience of building collaborations and networking of institutions, coordinating with scientific, corporate sector, government and diplomatic delegations and his expertise is well recognized in the institutions, organisations, global tractor and farm machinery sector, automotive industry. Earned a special recognition for developing and delivering the professional capacity building programmes/modules and expert talks for the industry and building core competence among students through innovative academic activities, arranging job placements in the institution.

Professional Accomplishments

Research Projects completed/In Progress

1. ICAR NAHEP-CAAST “School of Natural Resources Management for Sustainable Agriculture”
2. ICAR NAHEP-Component 2 Project on AR-VR Learning Modules
3. Co-PI in the Project on Establishment of RKVY-RAFTAAR Agribusiness Incubators (R-ABI)
4. Co-PI in the Project on Design & Development of Variable Rate Fertilizer Applicator (VRT) funded by Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) under Centre for Precision & Conservation Farming Machinery (CPCFM) programme.

Awards and Recognitions:

1. Awarded Netherland Fellowship (Two times) in 2025 and 2017 by the Dutch Government

Research Publications:

1. Hasan M, Singh M, Bector V, Gupta O P and Singh R (2021) Design and Development of a Variable Rate Applicator for Real-Time Application of Fertilizer. Sustainability 13: 86-94.
2. Kumar V, Bector V, Singh M, Dixit A, Mavi M S, Patel A, Soni R and Saravanan N (2024) Development and Field Evaluation of Hydraulic-Driven GPS based Real Time Sensor-based Integrated System for Measuring Soil Compaction and Electrical Conductivity of Soil. Agricultural Mechanization in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. 55(1): 46-58.  
3. Kumar V and Bector V (2022) Recent Trends for Measurement of Soil Penetration Resistance and Electrical Conductivity in Agricultural Soil and its Management under Precision Agriculture. Agricultural Mechanization in Asia, Africa and Latin America. 53: No.2, 12-20.
4. Patel A, Bector, V & Singh M, Singh S and Singh D (2023). Characterizing of Sandy Loam Soil Electrical Conductivity and Cone Index Relationship at Varying Depths in Punjab Region. Int J Environ Climate Change. 13. 2323-2331.
5. Kumar V, Bector V, Singh M and Dixit A (2024) Exploring the Regression Models for the Relationship Between Soil Compaction, Electrical Conductivity and Various Soil Properties for Soil Characterisation. Environ Ecology 42(1): 49-54.
6. Kumar V, Bector V and Dixit A (2023) Finite Element Analysis of the Probe of the Cone Penetrometer for Structural Failure and Strength analysis with Different Types of Material. Curr Advances Agril Sci 15(2): 211-224.

Education: B.Tech. (Agril. Engg.), PAU, Ludhiana (1995); M.Tech. (Farm Machinery & Power Engineering), PAU, Ludhiana (1998; PhD (Farm Machinery & Power Engineering), PAU, Ludhiana (2009)

Positions held: Assistant Professor (FMPE) (2001-2010), Associate Professor (2010-13) Professor (2016 to 2020), Professor & Associate Director (Industrial Relations 2020-2022); Institutional Relations 2022 to till date)

Field of Specialization: Farm Machinery & Power Engineering

Present research Interest/projects:

1. Precision Agriculture, Developing Sensor based Farm Technologies
2. Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture
3. Data Analytics and Developing Decision Support Systems
4. Institutional Networking and Outreach