Thesis and Guide details:
Details of CSIR Fellowship/ Associateship held, if any or from other sources/ agencies.
Significant foreign assignments:
(a) Significant contributions to science and/ or technology development by the nominee
based on the work done in India during most part of last 5 years:
As a team leader and primary driver, Rajeev Varshney worked from India to lead international
teams of researchers to sequence genomes of pigeonpea and chickpea and published them in
as the first and corresponding authors in Nature Biotechnology in 2012 and 2013. This is a very
laudable achievement of an Indian scientist while working in India. As a leader, he developed
a several superior lines/(future varieties) with: (i) enhanced drought tolerance in chickpea, (ii)
enhanced individual or combined resistance to Fusarium wilt and Ascochyta blight in chickpea,
(iii) enhanced rust resistance in groundnut. The nominee-led team comprising of Indian
researchers in collaboration with other organizations developed large-scale genomic resources
such as several thousand molecular markers, high-density marker genotyping platforms,
several million transcript sequences, development of over 20 genetic maps including the first
genetic map of groundnut, first generation map of pigeonpea, the most comprehensive genetic
map as well as the first genotyping-by-sequencing based map (first time for any crop in India)
of chickpea, high density consensus map in groundnut. Majority of the above mentioned work
has been published in many international journals under the primary/corresponding authorship
of Rajeev. In brief, Rajeev’s efforts have elevated ‘orphan legume crops' to ‘genomic
resources-rich’ legume crops
Because of these contributions, Rajeev is frequently invited at international platforms that are
enhancing the visibility of Indian genome science. Some of the opportunities where he has been
able to showcase work done in India includes: (i) G8 Open Data Meeting (World Bank, USA,
2013), (ii) Brain-storming on digital design, chaired by Mr Bill Gates (USA, 2012), and (iii) FAO- Conference on Agricultural Biotechnology (Mexico, 2010). In addition he is an invited
speaker and/or chair for sessions in many well-respected international genomics/legume
conferences. He is also enhancing visibility of Indian science by serving Editorial Board of
several international journals, review panels of several international funding agencies as well
as organizing/ steering committees of international conferences.
He is making significant contribution to advance genome science in India. For instance, > 287
breeders and >75 MSc/PhDs/Post-docs have been trained at his centre in the area of molecular
breeding. He has organized several international conferences in India in the areas of genomicsassisted
crop breeding, next generation sequencing and legume genomics which have greatly
benefited students and scientists working in India.
Rajeev has been a prolific author with publication of >280 widely read and cited articles in
well-respected and high impact factor journals including Nature, Nature Biotechnology,
PNAS, etc. His citation index is > 12600 and h-index is 51 with two of his papers with >1000
citation each. He has published ten edited books with Springer, Kluwer and CRC Press.
Because of his outstanding contribution to biological/agricultural science, he has been
conferred several prestigious awards including election as a Fellow of the Indian National
Science Academy (INSA) and the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), India
and Crop Young Scientist Award by the Crop Science Society of America.
In my opinion, he is a very -deserving candidate for the SS Bhatnagar Award.
(b) Impact of the contributions in the field concerned:
Rajeev Varshney belongs to the category of only few scientists, who has made significant
impact in both, basic science as well as applied research of highest quality. Some examples are
listed below:
Basic science: Genome sequencing of several crops (chickpea, pigeonpea, groundnut, sesame,
mungbean, Azuki bean and pearl millet) that he led has provided basic resources to the
scientific community to understand genome architecture, advance genetics, physiology and
breeding research at molecular level. Similarly re-sequencing projects that he is leading has
provided millions of structural variations to use as genetic signatures for understanding
domestication and genome evolution studies by both geneticists as well as evolutionary
biologists. Transcriptome and functional genomics studies carried out in the lab of Rajeev
Varshney have shed light on functional variation and quantification effects of genes involved
in different metabolic pathways. Some recent work in the area of mitochondrial genome
sequencing and functional analysis of mitochondrial genes is providing basis of cytoplasmic
male sterility in pigeonpea. Applied research: Large-scale genomic resources (molecular marker, genetic maps) developed
by Rajeev Varshney has faciliated identification of major QTLs for drought tolerance traits,
Ascochyta blight, Fusarium wilt, botrytis grey mold and salinity tolerance in chickpea and leaf
rust and late leaf spot in groundnut. Several of these QTLs have been used in breeding
programmes for the first time at ICRISAT as well as at other centres like Indian Institute of
Pulses Research, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural
Research, Egerton University and many State Agricultural Universities. The first generation of
molecular breeding products have been developed that will be released as improved varieties
in near-future. Diagnostic molecular markers developed by Rajeev Varshney are also being
used for purity assessment of hybrids of pigeonpea at ICRISAT, private sector and other
organizations.
Places where work of last 5 years has been referred/ cited in Books, Reviews:
Names of the industries in which the technology (ies) has (have) been used :
The achievements already been recognised by Awards by any learned body:
The Awardee a fellow of the Indian National Science Academy/Indian Academy of Sciences/National
Academy of Sciences/Others:
The Awardee delivered invited lecture(s) in India/abroad and/or chaired any scientific
Internatiional Conference Symposium:
List of Awardee's 10 most significant publications.
List of Awardee's 5 most significant publications during the last 5 years
List of Awardee's 5 most significant publications from out of work done in India
during the last five years:
Complete list of publications in standard refereed journals:
Complete list of publications with foreign collaborators (indicating your status
as author):
List of papers published in Conferences /Symposia/ Seminars, etc:
List of the most outstanding Technical Reports/ Review Articles:
Statement regarding collaboration with scientists abroad:
Rajeev Varshney, as a part of his responsibilities as well as as a part of collaborative research,
worked/has been working in collaboartion with several organizations from all over the world. Some
of them are listed below and the contribution of Rajeev vis-à-vis foreign scientsist is also indicated
in the Annexure 16E also.
NORTH AMERICA
USA
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory: Richard McCombie
National Center for Genome Resources: Andrew Farmer
The University of Arizona: Steven Rounsley
The University of Georgia: Andrew Paterson, Scott Jackso, Peggy OZias-Akins, Jeff Bennetzen,
Katrien Devos
Tuskegee University: Guaoao He
United State Department of Agriculture (USDA)/Agricultural Research Services: Baozhu Guo
University of California, Davis: Doug Cook, R Varma Penmetsa
University of California, Riverside: Tim Close
Cornell University: Susan McCouch, Mark Sorrells, Ed Buckler, Jean-Luc Jannick
Iowa State University: Thomas Lubberstedt
University of Missouri: Henry Nguyen
University of Minnesota: Nevin Young
University of Oklahoma: Ramanjulu Sunkar
Florida International University: Eric von Wettberg
Canada
National Research Council Canada: Andrew Sharpe
University of Saskatchewan: Bunyamin T’aran, Tom Warkentin, Bert Brandenberg, Ravi
Chhibbar
SOUTH AMERICA
Brazil
Brazilian Enterprise for Agricultural Research (EMBRAPA): Soraya Bertioli, Patrcia Guaemares
University of Brasília: David Bertioli
Colombia
International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT): Steve Bebbe
Mexico
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT): Sarah Hearne, Kevin Pixley
Generation Challenge Programme: Jean Marcel Ribaut
EUROPE
Czech Republic
The Institute of Experimental Botany: Jaroslav Dolezel
France
CIRAD-Agricultural Research for Development: Jean-Christoph Glaszman, Jean-Francois Rami
French Research Institute for Development: Yves Vigouroux
Germany
Genxpro GmbH: Peter Winter
Johann Wolfgang Goethe University of Frankfurt: Guenter Kahl
Julius Kühn Institute – Federal Research Institute for Cultivated Plants: Frank Ordon
Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics & Crops Plant Research (IPK): Andreas Graner, Andreas
Boerner, Marion Roeder, Jochen Reif, Nils Stein
University of Hohenheim: Albrecht Melchinger
University of Kiel: Christian Jung
Institute Phytosphere Research - Research Center Jülich: Ulrich Schurr
Ireland
National University of Ireland: Charles Spillane
Italy
University of Bologna: Roberto Tuberosa
Netherlands
Wageningen University - Wageningen UR: Theo van Hintum
Spain
University of Cordoba: Teresa Milan, Juan Gil
UK
Aberystwyth University: Rattan Yadav
The John Innes Centre: Cristobal Uauy
The Sainsbury Laboratory: Jonathan Jones
The Genome Analysis Centre: Sarah Ayling
The James Hutton Institute: David Marshall
AUSTRALIA
Australia
Australian Center for Plant Functional Genomics Pty Ltd: Peter Langridge, Tim Sutton
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO): Karam Singh
RMIT University: Nitin Mantri
South Australian Research and Development Institute: Victor Sadras
The University of Queensland: Robert Henry
The University of Western Australia: Tim Colmer, Dave Edwards, Jacqueline Batley
Diversity Arrays Technology Pty Ltd (DArT P/L): Andrzej Killian
ASIA
China
Beijing Genomics Institute, Shenzhen: Wang Jun, Xun Xu, Liu Xin, Huangming Yang
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences: Lijuan Qiu, Jizeng Ma
Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences: Xuan Qiang Liang, Xiaoping Chen
Japan
Kazusa DNA Research Institute: Sachiko Isobe, Kenta Srisawa
National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences: Masahiro Yano, Takao Komatsuda
Iwate Agricultural Biotechnology Research Centre: Ryohei Terauchi
Hokakaido University: Junichi Kashwiwagi
Malaysia
ACGT: Derrik Khun Hyut
Philippines
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI): Mike Thomson, Hei Leung, Ken Macnelly
South Korea
Seoul National University: Suk Ha Lee
Taiwan
Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center: Roland Schaftleitner
AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST
Ethiopia
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research: Asnake Fikre, Mussa Jarso
Kenya
Egerton University: Paul Kimurto
Moi University: Samuel Gudu
ICRISAT-Nairobi: Moses Siambi, Emmanuel Monyo, Damaris Odeney
Lebanon
International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA): Michael Baum, Shiv
Agrawal
Malawi
ICRISAT-Lilongwe: Patrick Okori, Anita Seetha, Samuel Njorge
Mali
ICRISAT-Bamako: Ramadjita Tabo, Desmae Haile
Niger
ICRISAT-Niamey: Falalou Hamidu
Nigeria
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA): Ousmane Boukar
Senegal
Institut Sénégalais de Recherche Agricole (ISRA): Issa Faye
South Africa
Agricultural Research Council, Onderstepoort: Jasper Rees
Total number of patents granted in last five years.
Details of Books published: