National Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Dr. Radha Prasanna
FELLOW, ELECTED 2023

Born in Chennai, India on 2nd August 1964. Educated at Women’s Christian College, Chennai – B.Sc. 1982-85; IARI, New Delhi, MSc (Microbiology) – 1985-87; PhD (Microbiology) – 1987-91; Visiting Scientist in Prof. Susan Golden’s Lab, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas, USA (2000) & Dr. Mary Ann Bruns’s Lab, Penn State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA (2010).

Head, Division of Microbiology (since 1st May 2023 - to date); Principal Scientist, Division of Microbiology, ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, 2011 to date.

Scientist, 1996-2000, Scientist (Sr. Scale), 2000-05; Senior Scientist, 2005-11; Professor, Division of Microbiology, ICAR-IARI, New Delhi, 2018-22.

Awards/Honours: IARI Best Teacher Award, 2008; ICAR Panjabrao Deshmukh Outstanding Woman Scientist Award, 2012; XVIII Hari Krishna Shastri Memorial Award, 2017; IARI Best Teacher Award (2008); Received recognition as Outstanding Reviewer from Elsevier, Springer and Wiley journals; Identified as Top Peer Reviewer by Publons; Serving as Associate Editor, CABI Agriculture and Bioscience & BMC Microbiology; Life Member, Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI), Asian PGPR Society and Indian Society of Agronomy; Member, American Society of Microbiology (ASM)

Fellow: Academy of Microbiological Sciences (FAMSc

Research Areas: Agricultural Microbiology; Microbial inoculants; Plant-Microbe interactions in relation to rhizosphere and plant microbiome; Cyanobacteria as biofertilizers, biofortifying and biocontrol agents; Carbon sequestration using cyanobacteria; Development of Cyanobacterium-amended potting mixes for protected cultivation of crops

Address: Head & Principal Scientist, Division of Microbiology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012; C 115, First Floor (Rear Flat), Inderpuri, New Delhi 110012; [Tel: Off. (011) 25847649; Cell: 9911188793; Email: radhapr@gmail.com; radha.prasanna@icar.gov.in; radhapr@iari.res.in]

NAAS Associate, 2005