Odisha agri scientist Trilochan Mohapatra new IARI head

Sambad English Bureau Published On : Aug 30, 2015 at 2:06 AM Updated On : Aug 30, 2015 at 2:07 AM

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
New Delhi, Aug 30:

After remaining headless for more than a year, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) has appointed Trilochan Mohapatra, the former head of Odisha-based Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI), as its new director.

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Mohapatra has taken charge as the new director of the research institute with effect from Friday.

The renowned agri scientist, who has been working in the area of molecular genetics and genomics, has published over 145 research papers in national and international journals of repute.

He was instrumental in developing the first high-yielding basmati rice variety resistant to bacterial sequencing of rice and tomato.

Mohapatra succeeded IARI’s last director H S Gupta, who served the farm institute after retirement on extension till March 2014.

After the post lay vacant for over a year, IARI had appointed two acting directors – K Vijayaraghavan (former Joint Director – Extension) and Ravinder Kaur (Project Director of the institute’s Water Technology Centre).