Dr Ravish Chatrath, Principal Scientist (Plant Breeding) and Principal Investigator (Coordination) at ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Karnal is awarded the Padmashree Dr MV Rao Memorial Award of the Society for Advancement of Wheat & Barley Research (SAWBR), Karnal for the year 2017 for his outstanding contributions to wheat breeding and varietal development. Dr. Chatrath took his Ph.D in Genetics & Plant Breeding from PAU, Ludhiana and has more than 30 years of research experience in the ICAR-ARS. He is associated with wheat research and coordination for more than 25 years. His expertise in developing bread wheat genotypes for saline soils and for rice wheat cropping system of northern India is well known.
He has released 15 bread wheat varieties including India’s first bio-fortified wheat variety WB 2. He has also developed and registered 16 wheat genetic stocks for different traits with NBPGR, New Delhi. Dr Chatrath has established several international linkages- CIMMYT (BISA, CSISA, Harvest Plus), DFID (UK), ACIAR, BGRI (CU, USA), Wheat Initiative (INRA) etc. Root and establishment traits for obtaining greater water-use efficiency in wheat and molecular marker technologies for faster wheat breeding are notable for strengthening the national wheat research. He has significantly contributed to institution building, as Member-Secretary of Research Advisory Committee; Quadrennial Review Team; PME Cell etc. His untiring efforts led to strengthened data management and improved institute infrastructure and research facilities. Dr. Chatrath has about 230 publications of international/national repute. His interactions and visits to 15 countries including, the USA, Mexico, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, UAE, Nepal, Bangladesh have helped in significant exchange of ideas and improved research outputs.