Dr. Ashok K. Patra
Emeritus Scientist & Former Director
About Me
Dr. Ashok K. Patra obtained his MSc and PhD in Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry in 1985 and 1989, respectively, in Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi. He joined Agriculture Research Services (ARS), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in 1989 and started his career at Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (IGFRI), Jhansi as a scientist (1990-1998). Then as a senior scientist he moved to CIFE, Mumbai (1998-1999), and to IARI (1999-2014). Dr. Patra has a 30-year long career dedicated to research, education and administration. Since May 2014 he is Director of the Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal.
During his scientific career, he has also worked as a Postdoctorate scientist (1991-1993) at ICRISAT, Hyderabad, and under Indo-UK Collaborative programme as a Visiting Study Fellow (1996) at the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER), Devon, UK. He was a recipient of the prestigious INRA Fellowship (2001-2003) of the French Research Ministry to work on molecular soil ecology in N cycling at the CNRS-Claude Bernard Université Lyon, France. For pursuing the frontier soil science research, DBT (GOI) awarded him the “DBT Overseas Associateship” in 2008 for which he visited USA during 2008-2009. His research activities focused on carbon and nitrogen cycling, soil ecology, biodiversity and soil health management. He has published more than 200 articles on the area of soil science.
He has been the President of the Indian Science Congress, Agriculture and Forestry Section (2016-2017) and Vice President of the Indian Society of Soil Science (2016-2017). He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Indian Society of Soil Science, and Range Management Society of India. On World Soil Day (5 Dec. 2017) Dr. Patra has been recognized as one of 13 soil researchers worldwide advancing soil science (Food Tank, USA).
During his scientific career, he has also worked as a Postdoctorate scientist (1991-1993) at ICRISAT, Hyderabad, and under Indo-UK Collaborative programme as a Visiting Study Fellow (1996) at the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER), Devon, UK. He was a recipient of the prestigious INRA Fellowship (2001-2003) of the French Research Ministry to work on molecular soil ecology in N cycling at the CNRS-Claude Bernard Université Lyon, France. For pursuing the frontier soil science research, DBT (GOI) awarded him the “DBT Overseas Associateship” in 2008 for which he visited USA during 2008-2009. His research activities focused on carbon and nitrogen cycling, soil ecology, biodiversity and soil health management. He has published more than 200 articles on the area of soil science.
He has been the President of the Indian Science Congress, Agriculture and Forestry Section (2016-2017) and Vice President of the Indian Society of Soil Science (2016-2017). He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Indian Society of Soil Science, and Range Management Society of India. On World Soil Day (5 Dec. 2017) Dr. Patra has been recognized as one of 13 soil researchers worldwide advancing soil science (Food Tank, USA).