Name : Dr Rishi Indra Singh Gill
Address : Dean College of Horticulture and Forestry
Office : 91-161-2401960 Extn. 281
E-Mail : deancohf@pau.edu
Dr. Rishi Indra Singh Gill has been appointed as the Dean of the College of Horticulture and Forestry at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana on 2nd July 2025. A distinguished agroforestry expert, Dr. Gill brings over 30 years of rich academic, research and administrative experience to the role. His international academic background, particularly his PhD from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, under the prestigious Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship, adds significant strength to his profile. Dr. Gill holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Forestry from PAU, earned in 1990 and 1992, respectively. He began his career at PAU in 1993 as Assistant Professor of Forestry. After completing his doctoral studies in Canada, he returned to PAU and steadily advanced through the academic ranks. In 2003, he took charge of the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Agroforestry and was promoted to Principal Scientist (Agroforestry) in 2009.
Renowned for his research in agroforestry, Dr. Gill has contributed 22 significant recommendations, including improved clones of poplar and eucalyptus, and new technologies now part of PAU’s official Package of Practices. He has led 13 funded research projects and published over 70 research papers and 18 book chapters. His academic involvement includes teaching undergraduate and postgraduate courses in forestry, biotechnology and environment, and guiding 16 postgraduate students. Dr. Gill’s administrative experience is equally impressive. He served as Head of the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources for four years, was Technical Advisor to the Vice-Chancellor for eight years, and the Estate Officer for three years. He participated in the Ministry of Human Resource Development’s Leadership for Academicians Programme (LeAP), gaining exposure at both the University of Hyderabad and Monash University, Australia. His global academic interactions span Canada, the US, Australia, Nepal, Malaysia, Singapore and France.
His work has been widely recognized. He received the Fellowship and Gold Medal of the Indian Society of Agroforestry for outstanding contributions to agroforestry research and development. He is also associated with key national institutions like Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) and Forest Research Institute (FRI) as an expert advisor and speaker. Dr. Gill has played a strong role in extension activities, having conducted 17 training programmes, including three international ones. He has delivered more than 100 expert lectures, participated in media outreach, and published numerous extension bulletins and articles. Beyond academics, he has also served in various student welfare and extracurricular roles, such as Chief Warden, NCC In-charge, President PAU Shooting club, and College Coordinator for Counselling and Placement.
