V Praveen Rao, Vice-Chancellor of Prof. Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU), has been selected for Dr M S Swaminathan Award for the period 2017-19.
The biennial national award was constituted by Retired ICAR Employees Association (RICAREA) and Nuziveedu Seeds Limited. It carries a cash prizes of ₹2 lakh and a citation.
“The outstanding and innovative contributions of Praveen Rao in the areas of agricultural research, teaching, extension and administration won him the award,” the award selection committee, headed by former ICAR Director General, RS Paroda, said.
An authority on micro irrigation, he handled 13 research and six consultancy projects in micro irrigation in India, Israel and South Africa.
“He was a technical advisor and was instrumental in formulation and commissioning the world’s largest micro irrigation project, covering an area of 0.9 million hectares,” a statement said. Praveen Rao will be presented the award by Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu in Hyderabad on December 8.