Dr. Ashok Kumar Patra
FELLOW, ELECTED 2010
Born in Araldihi, Bankura, India on 7 September 1960. Educated at Araldihi High School, Bankura, 1971-76; Dubrajpur Uttarayan Vidyayatan, Bankura, West Bengal, 1976-78; B.Sc. (Agriculture): Banaras Hindu University, 1978-83; M.Sc. & Ph.D.: Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 1983-89; Post-Doctoral/Visiting Fellow: International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Hyderabad, 1991-93; Institute of Grassland & Environmental Research, UK, 1996; Ecologie Microbienne (CNRS-Universite' Lyon 1), France, 2001-03; University of Notre Dame, USA 2008-09.
Emeritus Scientist, ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal, 2023 to date.
Scientist, 1989-94 & Scientist (Sr. Scale), 1994-98, Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi; Senior Scientist, 1998-99, Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai; Senior Scientist, 1999-2006 & Principal Scientist 2006-2014, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi; Director, ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal 2014-2022.
Awards/Honours: UN FAO Glinka World Soil Prize 2022; Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award of ICAR for Outstanding Research in Agricultural Sciences 2021; Platinum Jubilee Commemoration Award 2022 of Indian Society of Soil Science for Life Time Achievements; International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI)-FAI Award 2018; Prof. Sushil Kumar Mukherjee Commemoration Award of Indian Science Congress Association 2018; ICAR-IARI Hooker Award 2013; FAI Dhiru Morarji Memorial Award 2011; Bioved Agri-innovation Award 2015; British Council TCT Award 1996; DBT Overseas Associateship Award 2008; Member, Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils (ITPS) of GSP/FAO, Rome, 2018-21; Associate Editor, European Journal of Soil Science since 2014; Vice President, Indian Society of Soil Science 2016-17; President, Indian Science Congress Association (Agri and Forestry Sciences Section) 2016-17; President, Indian Society of Soil Science 2019-21. Prof. J.N. Mukherjee ISSS Foundation Lecture Award 2023; Dr. MV Rao Memorial Lecture 2019; Dr. N.S. Randhawa Memorial Lecture Award of ISSS 2018. Dr. G.S. Sekhon Memorial Lecture Award of ISSS 2012. Recognized one among 13 soil scientists of the world advancing soil research and education (Food Tank, USA), 2017. During the tenure as Director (2014-2022), ICAR-IISS received UN FAO King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award 2020; Sardar Patel Outstanding ICAR Institution Award 2018; Krishi Sansthan Samman Award (National Award Winner) (2016) by Mahindra Samridhi (Mahindra & Mahindra).
Fellow: National Academy of Sciences (India); West Bengal Academy of Science & Technlogy; Indian Society of Soil Science; Range Management Society of India
Research Areas: Nitrogen cycling, soil health, sustainable soil management, soil biodiversity, climate change, carbon sequestration, nano-fertilizers
Address: Emeritus Scientist & Former Director, ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil Science, Nabibagh, Berasia Road, Bhopal 462038, M.P.; Type V/2, ICAR-IISS Campus, Nabibagh, Berasia Road, Bhopal 462038, M.P.; [Tel: Cell: 9811733465, 9713464733; Email: patraak@gmail.com; ashok.patra@icar.gov.in]
