Welcome to Agri Vision-2024
Dr. Ajit Kumar Shasany is currently serving as Director, CSIR- National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow. Before joining CSIR-NBRI he served as the Director, ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi, and Chief Scientist, Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow.
Dr. Ajit Kumar Shasany started his carrier at OUAT, Bhubaneswar (BSc Ag), and graduated from Indian Agricultural Research Institute (PhD. Molecular Biology and Biotechnology) with a merit medal and an OGPA 4.0 out of 4.0. Also secured the highest OGPA (8.81/10.00) in MSc with two awards and studied Agricultural Biotechnology at AAU, Jorhat. Having a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, he blends rural development with recent approaches to Plant Molecular Biology. The research interest includes plant diversity, metabolic engineering in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants and bioprospection for human health. After joining ICAR NIPB, focusing on the innate immunity of crop plants through gene editing. Spends 20% of the time for the farmers through promotion and training on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants aimed at improving their livelihood.
His significant research contributions are, complete genome and transcriptome sequencing of “Tulasi” Ocimum sanctum (first medicinal plant genome from India); transcriptome of several aromatic plants; cloning of about 32 terpene synthase genes; .analyzing more than 900 accessions of medicinal belonging to 40 different plant species for genetic diversity estimation, evolutionary relationships and marker identification. Also contributed in the release of 45 commercially important varieties with 23 US plant patents, using genomics as well as breeding tools. The contribution in research related to Mentha, Artemisia and Ocimum is significant as CIMAP bagged Technology award in 1999, 2012 and 2018 (certificate of Merit) respectively. In plants, isolated several novel genes in Withania somnifera, Mentha arvensis, Ocimum sanctum, Artemisia annuua and engaged in proving the functionality and metabolite channeling as evident from his publications, genbank accessions and PhD thesis.
Being an Agriculturist, he is also engaged in dissemination of technology to farmers. These are Mint technology (Uttar Pradesh), Geranium technology in (Uttarakhand), Artemisia technology (Uttar Pradesh), aromatic plant technology (Odisha) for rural economic upliftment and livelihood enhancement. He also led the development of 39 clusters of Aromatic Plants in 21 districts of Odisha under “Aroma Mission” of CSIR-CIMAP developing about 10 start-up Entrepreneurs, in addition to helping a number of farmers for income enhancement.
He has 101 granted patents and 150 publications to his credit. Granted Patents: Total 101; US Patents: 51 (DNA sequences 3, Plants 23, 10 processes, 15 compositions). Indian: 16; Other countries: 34; Filed: 2 , Variety Development: 46, PhD Students Guided: 17 awarded; 4 Continuing; M.Sc. students guided: 62, Involved in 30 Projects from which led 16 projects as Principal Investigator/Co-PI. Complete genome and transcriptome sequencing of “Holy basil” Ocimum sanctum: (First medicinal plant Genome and first genome solely from India).
Being a graduate in Agriculture, also engaged in dissemination of technology to farmers for income enhancement and livelihood upliftment: