Dr. Tejpal Singh Tomar is a qualified agronomist and has worked in different government/Pvt. organizations for more than 30 years on crop research for development, new variety import, registration, and commercialization thereof, brand linked agronomy, market led agri extension & training and different models of backward integration.

He is one of the most experienced potato agronomists in potato processing industries in India and has been awarded by Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI), Shimla in 2008 for his contribution in standardizing agronomic and post-harvest management practices of different potato varieties and mobilizing grass root community structures for supplying quality raw material to processing industries in India.

Dr. S.K. Pandey is one of the most reputed potato breeders in the country and has worked for more than thirty eight years in ICAR and associated research institutes in different capacities. He joined Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI), Shimla as a scientist- S1 in July 1976 and retired as a director in June 2010.

He is recipient of several prestigious awards including ICAR Outstanding Multi-disciplinary Team Research Award(1997-99 and 2007-09), JC Anand Gold Medal (2005) from Horticultural Society of India, Indian Potato Association-Kaushalya Sikka Award (2005), IFFDC Award (2005), Shri LC Sikka Endowment Award from National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Dr. S. Ramanujam Award (2007) from Central Potato Research Institute (ICAR), Hari Om Ashram Trust Award (2007-08), Shivashakti Life Time Achievement Award from horticulture Society of Indiaime achievement award (2009), and coveted Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award (2006) from ICAR for outstanding research in horticulture for sustaining emerging potato processing sector in the country.

Dr. Govinda Krishnan joined the ICAR in 1978 as Scientist S1 at Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI), Shimla, superannuated from the post of project coordinator AICRP (Potato) in August 2016.

During his research career at ICAR_CPRI, Shimla, he was associated with various projects of the institute and had the opportunity to specialize in crop modeling, remote sensing, GIS, and developing decision support tools.

As Project Coordinator, a major achievement during his period was the development of a Pan India Late Blight forecasting model "INDO BLIGHTCAST" which is being used for forewarning late blight appearance. Another important achievement during the period was the climate based characterization of potato growing environments in India for better targeting of genotypes adapted to different climates.

He is a recipient of the "Nanaji Deshmukh ICAR award for outstanding interdisciplinary team research in agricultural and allied sciences" for the year 2016 and the "IPA-Kaushalya Sikka Memorial Award" for the period 2013-2017.

Prof. Chauhan had his higher education in the field of Food Technology from Central Food- Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore and P.A.U. Ludhiana.

He had received F.A.O. scholarship during MS program and ICAR Senior Research Fellowship during PhD program. He worked for about 33 years (1971-2003) at G.B.P.U.A.&T., Pantnagar in various capacities and retired as professor, Food Technology. He was selected by ASRB, New Delhi for the post of Director, National Research Centre of Soybean (Now Indian Institute of Soybean Research) located at Indore, M.P.

He was elected as President of Association of Food Scientists and Technologists, India (1999-2000). He has been awarded A.F.S.T.I. Fellow Award (2000-2001). He was selected as Co-Chairman of International Soybean Processing and Utilization Committee (2004-2008). He has acted as Chairman, Co-Chairman, and Secretary of organization committees of national and International seminars and conferences.

Dr. Birendra Kumar, Ex- Professor, Agricultural Communication at G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, U.S. Nagar, Uttarakhand, India served as Director Residential Instruction–cum-Dean PGS, Pantnagar (July 2011 to June 2013) and Director, Extension education at Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour (July to December 2011).

He was Dean Agribusiness Management (2014-15), Director Communication & Head, Agricultural Communication at Pantnagar (2007-11). He was visiting Professor at Alemaya University (Now Harmaya University), Ethiopia (2002-2004) under Word Bank supported ARTP project. He has volunteered with an international volunteer Institute of Cultural Affairs, Chicago for its activities in Eastern India and intensively worked for design development and evaluation of participatory training of farmers in a reputed voluntary organization Seva Bharati in West Bengal.

Author of five books and one hundred and twenty professional publications, he is a motivational speaker, accredited trainer, and interactive teacher. He has facilitated national and international training courses on trainer's and teacher's skills, soft skills, and development practices.

Dr. Vikram Singh retired as Director, National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad in 2016. A student of behavioral science and received his Ph.D in psychology. He conceived and established a two year AICTE approved and NBA accredited PG diploma in agribusiness management in MANAGE, Hyderabad in the year 1996. It was the first full-fledged PG program in the country conceived for agri and allied sciences graduating with focus to prepare techno-managers in this field. He mentored and established this program in CCS NIAM Jaipur, MPKV Rahuri, UAS Bengaluru, and few other SAUs.

His area of specialization is organizational behavior and process consultancy. He served as National facilitator as Gold certified trainer for MANAGE-COVERDALE program for four years. Also served as process consultant to Government of India, State Govts, DFID, OXFAM, CAPE, and few world bank supported projects. He presented 32 professional research papers and three book chapters. Widely traveled within and outside country for training and consultancy.

PhD Entomology from GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar. Dr. Pradhyuman Kumar Joined ICAR as Agricultural Research Services and worked as Scientist in Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru and National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Bengaluru as Sr. Scientist in National Centre for Integrated Pest Management, Pusa Campus, New Delhi, as Principal Scientist and as Director Indian Institute of Maize Research, Pusa Campus, New Delhi. Based on his research achievements, he was selected as Emeritus Scientist at Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. Thus, he was engaged in active research for 35 years in various Institutes of ICAR.

His area of specialization has been Integrated Pest Management in Maize, Cotton, Paddy, and Pulses; Host Plant Resistance in Maize, Bioassay of pesticides and transgenic plants, and Biological Control of Insect Pests.

He is member of six scientific societies and research advisory committee of NBAIR, Bengaluru and IIMR, Ludhiana. He was given outstanding scientist award by the society of plant protection sciences in 2005 and outstanding research contribution in the field of entomology in 2015.