The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has appointed Dr (Mrs) Surinder Sandhu as Head, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, the University’s largest academic department; and Dr Yogita Sharma as University Librarian of MS Randhawa Library.
For Dr Sandhu, this historic appointment marks a significant milestone as she becomes the first woman to lead the department since its inception. With 29 years of research experience, Dr Sandhu has contributed to the development of 31 crop varieties, including 10 nationally released varieties, and facilitated the commercialisation of PAU-bred hybrids through multiple MoUs with seed companies. She has also registered four elite QPM genetic resources developed through marker-assisted selection. Her research excellence has been internationally recognised as she has served as a Visiting Professor at the University of Florida, USA (2007-08), an Australian Endeavour Postdoctoral Fellow at Queensland University of Technology (2010), and a Visiting Scientist in the Global Maize Program at CIMMYT, Mexico (2021). In addition, she has led 17 major externally funded research projects, authored over 145 research publications, and guided 12 postgraduate students. Dr Sandhu’s academic contributions have been recognised through several prestigious honours, including the ICAR-PAU Best Teacher Award (2010-11), Eminent Scientist Award (2023), Fellow of the Indian Society of Genetics and Plant Breeding (2024), and Fellow of the Sugarcane Technologists’ Association of India (2012). Under her leadership, PAU’s Maize Centre received the Chaudhary Devi Lal Outstanding AICRP Award (2019) and the Best AICRP Centre Award (2020) for excellence in maize breeding and hybrid development. Besides, Dr Sandhu has held several key academic and professional responsibilities at Guru Nanak Dev University; and ICAR; served as Editor of the Crop Improvement journal; authored several book chapters and edited several books.
Dr Sharma has a vast experience of 27 years in serving of academic libraries. She has played a key role in automation of PAU Library, digitization of library documents, development of PAU repository, and installation of RFID system. She was a PAU Nodal Officer for ICAR Consortium for e-Resources in Agriculture from 2008-2024 and is CCPI of ICAR E-Granth project of agricultural libraries under National Agricultural Research and Education System, which includes strengthening of Krishikosh: National Digital Repository of the agricultural libraries and implementation of KOHA Integrated Library Management Software. Besides, Dr Sharma has a teaching experience of 15 years. She has imparted internship training to 31 students of Diploma, Bachelor and Master degree in Library and Information Science from other institutes. She has also organized 58 training programmes, conferences, workshops and demonstrations; delivered 29 expert lectures; written 33 publications including two books (most popular book -Research and Publication Ethics); and implemented anti-plagiarism measures in the University. Dr Sharma was a Member, State Level Committee for Punjab Public Libraries Act 2011-12; and is a Member, Board of Control, Library and Information Science, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. Dr Sharma received the “Best Librarian Award 2024” from the Association of Agricultural Librarians and Documentalists of India.