Before joining ICRISAT as Director General, Dr Himanshu Pathak served as Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Government of India and Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), one of the world’s largest agricultural research and education organizations.
Dr Pathak has over 32 years of experience in climate resilience, soil and crop management, and sustainable agricultural systems. He holds a Ph.D. in Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute and has held prestigious fellowships and international research positions, including the Humboldt Fellowship in Germany, as well as collaborations with institutions in the United Kingdom, Australia, the Philippines, and Ethiopia. Dr Pathak has led nine mega research programs and executed over 50 research projects. He has published extensively, with over 200 research papers and numerous books.
Dr Pathak has extensive experience in the global agricultural landscape and plays a key role in strategically aligning research efforts with global sustainable development goals. He has also held various chairmanship positions, including those of the Governing Body of ICAR, the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (India), the Food and Agriculture Division of the Bureau of Indian Standards, the Research Council of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, the G20 Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists, and the International Water Management Institute-ICAR Steering Committee, among others.
