Ashok Kumar Singh
The plant breeder behind Basmati rice varieties now grown on over 90% of India's Basmati area, a former IARI director, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
Most of the Basmati rice grown in India today comes from varieties bred by Ashok Kumar Singh’s team. In 2026 he was named for the Padma Shri in the field of science and engineering, from Uttar Pradesh [1].
Career
Singh was born on 1 July 1962 [2]. He studied agriculture and plant breeding at Banaras Hindu University, then took a PhD in genetics at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) in New Delhi [2]. He joined IARI as a scientist in 1994, has led its Basmati breeding programme since 2008, and later served as the institute’s director [2].
Pusa Basmati
He has been lead breeder on 27 rice varieties, 11 of them Basmati [2]. By 2024–25, varieties developed under his leadership covered nearly 2 million hectares, more than 90% of India’s Basmati area, and accounted for about ₹50,312 crore of export earnings a year [2].
Short-duration varieties such as Pusa Basmati 1509, 1692 and 1847 let farmers fit in an extra crop [2]. Eight disease-resistant varieties have reduced pesticide use and residues, which matters for exports [2]. Herbicide-tolerant varieties, Pusa Basmati 1979 and 1985, suit direct seeding, which, according to the citation, saves up to 30% of irrigation water and cuts greenhouse gas emissions [2].
He has guided 34 PhD students and is a fellow of INSA, NASI and NAAS [2]. His awards include the Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award and the Borlaug Award [2].
Sources
- [1] Padma Awards 2026: list of awardees — Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Accessed 11 October 2026.
- [2] Padma Awards 2026 investiture ceremony brochure: citation for Ashok Kumar Singh — Press Information Bureau, Government of India. Accessed 12 October 2026.
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