Thursday, September 17, 2009

Dr Ashok Dhawan : Fazilka born Agriculture Scientist bags Noel Deerr Award for research work

Fazilite Dr Ashok Dhawan has been award with Noel Deerr for the year 2008 for his research by the Sugar Technologists Association of India. At present Dr Dhawan is working as Director (Technical), Centre for Plant Biotechnology, Department of Science and Technology, Hissar. Born in the family of Dr. Ved Parkash Dhawan in 1952, he did his matriculation from Govt. Senior Secondary School Fazilka. He is elder to famous physician of Fazilka Dr. Ajay Dhawan.

Former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam presented the award during inaugural ceremony of the Annual Convention of STAI held at Hotel Radisson Plaza, Udaipur on August 26, 2009. The convention highlighted the major research activities going on in sugarcane industry.

Dr Dhawan and his group working at regional research station of CCS Haryana Agriculture University, Uchani, Karnal have been involved in deciphering the physiological and molecular mechanisms of sugar transport and accumulation for over 22 years. After taking his basic education from Fazilka later Dr Dhawan did his M. Sc. from Birla Institute of Technology & Sciences, Pilani (1974) and Ph.D. from Panjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (1977) both in first division. He worked as Research Fellowship at Panjab University, Chandigarh and Science Talent Internships at Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore during 1974-75 in India and later joined ANU Scholar at Australian National University, Canberra, Australia during 1977-79. He remained Visiting Scientist at Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Upsala, Sweden during 1985 and University of California, Davis, USA 1997 to 1999. He Joined Haryana Agricultural University as Assistant Professor in 1980, as Associate professor in 1986 and promoted to full Professor in 1994. A total of 107 publications are on his name in his field. Dr Dhawan Supervised twenty-six research students: some for degrees, others as research fellows and associates in projects

Dr Dhawan was recently invited by University of Saskatchewan, Canada to Deliver a lecture on "Sugar accumulations in sugarcane stems; a unique system, dynamic controls". He is currently operating as Principal Investigator, two DBT and one DST.

Dr Dhawan is pioneer in Development of three major technologies: PCR based markers for identification of specific alleles of sucrose synthase-2 and invertase genes in sugarcane, Brassica variety RH-781; this has been released as a frost tolerant variety for the State of Haryana and is extremely popular with the farmers in frost prone areas and a technology for improving germination of sugarcane setts. This has gone into "Package of Practices" of Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar.

In addition to this Dr Dhawan has been recipients of several awards and appreciations including J.J. Chinoy Award by Indian Society for Plant Physiology 2007, Y. S. Murthy Memorial lecture Award by Indian Botanical Society 2007, Nanda Memorial Lecture Award from Indian Society for Plant Physiology 2006, Fellow, Sugar Technologists Association of India, UGC Visiting Fellow to K.U., Kurukshetra 2004, Certificate of Appreciation for outstanding contributions, University of California, Davis, USA 1998, Member Board of studies, Kurukshetra University, Bhopal University, Commendation certificate by Teachers Association, CCSHAU 1996 Certificate of Honour by the vice-chancellor CCSHAU, Hissar 1997, Roll of honour by Haryana Agricultural University 2003, Letter of appreciation from Vice-chancellor HAU for period 1997-2002, Member, ICAR panel of Scientists for evaluation of research projects, 1995- 97.

We Fazilite congratulate Dr Dhawan for his outstanding work in his field

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