Dr. Ashwani Kumar Rai
FELLOW, ELECTED 2010

Born in Ghazipur, India on 29 December 1948. Educated at Adarsh Vidyalya Dildar Nagar, Ghazipur, 1960-62; Queens College Varanasi, 1962-64; Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 1965-74; B.Sc. 1967; M.Sc. 1969; Ph.D. 1974.

BHU-Distinguished Professor, Botany, Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 2015 to date.

Lecturer 1977-87, Reader 1987-95, Professor, 1995-2013 and Emeritus Scientist, 2013-15, NASI-Senior Scientist, 2015-2020, Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University; Coordinator, 2006-09, Applied Microbiology, Banaras Hindu University; Visiting Scientist, 1982, Research Institute for Biochemical Regulation, Nagoya University, Japan; Visiting Scientist, 1983, University of Konstanz, Germany; Visiting Professor, 1987-88, Department of Microbiology, University of Texas at Austin, USA; Invited Professor, 1992, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University Japan; Visiting Professor, 1993, School of Agriculture, Nagoya University, Japan.

Awards/Honours: Matsumae International Foundation Fellowship, Japan, 1982; Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship, Germany, 1983; National Biotechnology Overseas Associateship, 1986; JSPS Fellowship, 1993.

Fellow: National Academy of Sciences, India; Biotech Research Society, India.

Research Areas: Physiology and Biochemistry of cyanobacteria and Azolla-Anabaena system, nitrogen nutrition, carbon fixation, salt stress and adaptive responses

Address: Distinguished Professor, Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, U.P.; N1-65/B18, Shiva Prasad Gupta Colony, Samne Ghat Road, Nagwa, Varanasi 221005, U.P.; [Tel: Res. (0542) 2366514, Cell: 9450867006; Email: akrai.bhu@gmail.com; akrai@bhu.ac.in]