Prof. Milkha Singh Aulakh, former Dean, College of Agriculture, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana has been appointed as founder Vice Chancellor of Maneyavar Shri Kashiram ji University of Agriculture & Technology (MSKRJUAT), Banda, Uttar Pradesh by his Excellency, Governor of Uttar Pradesh and Hon’ble Chancellor of the University. A new State Agricultural University is being established at Banda in Uttar Pradesh.
Prof. Aulakh born in a farmers’ family in historic village Attari, Amritsar, Punjab on 15 August 1950, educated at Govt. School, Attari; Khalsa College Amritsar; Guru Nanak Dev University (B.Sc. Agric.); Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana (M.Sc. in Agriculture) and University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon Canada (Ph.D.). As Canadian Commonwealth Scholar, he obtained Ph.D. in 1983 from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada.
Thereafter he was a Postdoctoral Fulbright Scholar at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, USA; Visiting Scientist with USDA Agricultural Research Service; Project Scientist at International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines; and Collaborating Scientist at Frounhofer Institute for Atmospheric Environmental Research and University of Freiburg in Germany. He has presented state-of-the-art, key and lead papers at several national and international conferences/symposia. Upon invitation from prestigious organizations including FAO, IAEA, IRRI, IUSS, USDA-ARS, SCOPE, IPCC, he has Chaired and Co-chaired scientific sessions and delivered more than 100 lectures in 25 countries in Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, and North America. He is internationally elected Chairperson of Commission on “Soil and Environment” of International Union of Soil Science for a term of 4 years. He is also member of International Scientific Committee for International Symposium on Managing Soils for Food Security and Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, being organized by FAO & IAEA, Vienna, Austria, and is Consultant of International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria to design and formulate international research projects on Crop Improvement, Water, Soil and Fertilizer Management. Currently, he is also Vice President of Indian Society of Soil Science.
He has over 36-year experience of teaching research and extension education (generation and transfer of technology), besides, rich experience of administrative and Managerial level (over 10 Years). Prof. Aulakh has accomplished distinguished goals by developing and successfully implementing education programs for enhancing the intake of rural students in Punjab Agricultural University. He has been instrumental in developing and starting new education programs such as 6-year B.Sc. Agriculture (Hons.), B.Sc. Biotechnology (Hons.), B.Tech. Food Technology (Hons.) and 2-year Certificate Course in Agriculture. Prior to being Dean, he was Additional Director of Research at PAU.
Prof. Aulakh, an outstanding Soil Scientist, has generated systematic scientific information on the judicious use of mineral fertilizers integrated with organic sources in cereals, oilseeds and pulses in cropping sequences, which have important implications for improving the fertilizer-use efficiency, soil fertility, crop productivity in terms of both yield and quality, and environmental benefits by reduced groundwater nitrate contamination and emissions of greenhouse gases causing global warming. He has provided a comprehensive package of information on balanced nutrition of field crops, better understanding of how to manage soil nutrients in order to achieve economically the most viable yields with the high quality while minimizing environmental pollution. To him, equally important has been the effective transfer of his outstanding research findings to farmers. He conducted extensive fundamental and field studies for harnessing economically-viable sustainable production of prominent cropping systems, enhancing nutritive quality of the produce, improving soil health, and minimizing environmental pollution.
He has been invited to contribute chapters and review papers in international journals of high repute. His innovative research has resulted in more than 300 publications in international and national journals, bulletins, book chapters, scientific reviews, conference proceedings and technology-transfer papers. Dr. Aulakh has published a book, published by Taylor and Francis, New York, USA, which takes a global view of challenges faced in 10 geographically and demographically diverse regions of the world. His concerted efforts have led to the development of several reliable methodologies, new crop production technologies and improved practices. He has served as a member of the Editorial Board/ Editor of the international journal ‘Biology & Fertility of Soils’ published by Springer, Germany (2000-2008) and Journal of Research, PAU (2007-2010), and presently he is on the Editorial Board of Journal of Indian society of Soil Science.
Prof. Aulakh is a highly decorated Agricultural Scientist with several coveted awards, honours and recognitions. Among international awards, he won Plant Nutrient Sulphur Research Award instituted by The Sulphur Institute, Washington D.C., USA (1990); International Crop Nutrition Award by International Fertilizer Industry Association, Paris, France (2001); Alumni Honour Award by the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada (2002); first IMPHOS-FAI Award instituted by World Phosphate Institute, Morocco (2002); Pierre Becker Memorial Award by Fertilizer International and British Sulphur Publishing, London, UK (2005); and first IPNI Science Award by International Plant Nutrition Institute, Norcross, Georgia, USA (2007). For his meritorious services, he has also been awarded Recognition Certificate at the 15th World Congress of Soil Science, Acapulco, Mexico; and Appreciation Certificate, Plaque and commendation by International Rice Research Institute, Philippines. Similarly, at the national level, Dr. Aulakh has received the most prestigious and highest award in agricultural sciences in India – the Rafi Ahmad Kidwai Memorial Prize of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR); Hari Om Ashram Trust Award for Agricultural Sciences Research by ICAR in 1990; Silver Jubilee and Golden Jubilee Awards of Excellence by the Fertilizer Association of India (FAI) in 1987 and 2009; Outstanding Research Award by National Fertilizers Limited in 1989; Twelfth International Congress Commemoration Award by Indian Society of Soil Science in 1995; Dhiru Morarji Memorial Award by FAI in 1997 and Citation, Plaque and Felicitation by Govt. of India in 2001. He was selected Fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences in 1996, and Indian Society of Soil Science in 2000. At the State level also Dr. Aulakh got recognitions through Appreciation Certificates by Punjab State Council of Science and Technology, and by Punjab Agricultural University. He was selected as Fellow of the Punjab Academy of Sciences in 2004. He was honoured by Chief Minister of Punjab with Punjab Sarkar Parman Patar (The State award) for his outstanding research and social contributions.
Prof. Aulakh has worked dedicatedly in three Continents and coordinated research in several countries during his career, which helped in bridging the gap between the developed and developing world. Although he had several opportunities and was even offered lucrative jobs outside India, he preferred to work for his motherland. Now Prof. Aulakh will have a three-year term as Vice Chancellor of MSKRJ University of Agriculture & Technology, Uttar Pradesh from the date he takes over this challenging assignment of establishing a new state-of-the art university.
