Padma Shri Dr Ajay Kumar Parida takes charge as Director, ILS

Bhubaneswar: Eminent Odia scientist and Padma Shri awardee Dr Ajay Kumar Parida took charge as the Director of Institute of Life Sciences (ILS), Bhubaneswar on Thursday.

A native of Jajpur district, Parida has made notable research contributions in the field of agriculture, plant molecular biology and biotechnology. His pioneering contributions in identifying stress tolerant genes specifically for salinity and drought.

His research has contributed to the basic understanding of the genetic architecture and species relationship in mangroves, cereals, legumes and other cultivated crop species. He has supervised 25 students for their Ph.D. degree, published more than 100 peer reviewed papers and travelled to more than 30 countries.

Parida is involved in application of science and technology for rural development and is actively involved in working with grassroots organizations and local communities.

Parida is Elected Fellow of the National Academy of Agriculture Sciences (NAAS) and National Academy of Sciences of India (NASI). He is a recipient of several awards and recognition including Padma Shri in 2014 for his outstanding contribution in the field of Science and Engineering.

Prior to joining ILS, Bhubaneswar, he has served as Executive Director of MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai.