Dr Pushp Sharma, Principal Physiologist (Oilseeds) joined as Head, Department of Botany on December 23, 2022, did her B.Sc. from Punjabi University, Patiala in 1986, M.Sc. and Ph.D. (Botany) from PAU in 1989 and 1992, qualified ICAR-NET in 1996 and joined the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics as Assistant Plant Physiologist in 1999. Dr Sharma has vast experience in physiology of diverse field crops, since 2006 working on oilseeds for abiotic stresses & their management, identifying elite germplam for marker physio-biochemical traits, enhanced NUE, root architecture, PGRs and microbes in relieving heat/ drought stress Identified donors for cold tolerance in chickpea, heat and drought in mustard, contributed in release of 12 varieties/hybrids, recommendations for drought mitigation by PGRs and heat tolerance by microbes. Accomplished research projects of AVRDC-DFID, DST, DBT and ICAR. Recipient of Best team awards by ICAR-IIPR Kanpur (2007), ICAR-DRMR, Bharatpur (2010-11), six best oral. Presentation awards, four certificates of appreciation, Gold Medal (2024) by the Society for Rapeseed-Mustard Research, Principal Investigator Plant Physiology (2013-2023), Fellow of Society for Rapeseed-mustard Research & Indian Society of Oilseeds Research. Dr Sharma has published 104 research papers, 24 book chapters, 4 bulletins/ manual, edited 2 Books and editor of 1 book.  Presented research work as lead author at Prague, Czech Republic, Saskatoon, Canada, Berlin, Germany and Sydney Australia. Teaching courses of Botany and PB&G, guided 12 M.Sc. and 6 Ph.D. students as major advisor, delivered lectures in training programmes, paper setter for various courses, entrance and selection exams, external examiner and expert member for selections outside the university. Member of monitoring team AICRP-RM since 2016, nominated member Board of Studies in Agriculture, Punjabi University, Patiala, participated in various extension activities and published 65 extension articles. Presently Dr Sharma is Editor Journal of Oilseed Brassica and  Joint Secretary Society for Rapeseed–Mustard Research.