Mr. Shridhar Ragi is a doctoral researcher in Genetics and Plant Breeding at the prestigious ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, where he has been pursuing his Ph.D. since 2021. His academic journey is marked by consistent excellence, reflected through national-level competitive fellowships, merit scholarships, and top-ranking performances in ICAR examinations. He has qualified multiple national eligibility tests including ASRB-NET and UGC-NET, underscoring his strong academic foundation and teaching–research competence.

Research Contributions & Publications

Mr. Ragi has made significant contributions to plant breeding and crop improvement, particularly in rice, maize, and small millets. He has authored 17 peer-reviewed research articles with impact factor, demonstrating sustained, high-quality scientific output. Additionally, he has contributed 10 book chapters, including a notable chapter on the improvement of small millets (Springer; DOI: 10.1007/978-981-99-7232-6_10), highlighting his engagement with nutritionally important and climate-resilient crops.

He has also published popular science articles and technical review pieces in reputed agricultural magazines, bridging the gap between advanced research and stakeholder outreach. His research findings have been disseminated through six national and international conference abstracts, reflecting active participation in the scientific community.

Research Interests & Current Research Activities

Mr. Ragi’s research focuses on hybrid rice breeding, cytoplasmic genetic male sterility (CGMS) systems, and grain quality improvement. His current research activities include:

• Development and characterization of rice restorers

• Breeding and evaluation of CGMS-based rice hybrids

• Analysis of cooking and grain quality traits (amylose content, gel consistency, alkali spreading value, milling traits)

• Assessment of heterotic potential

• Morphological and molecular diversity analysis of rice restorers

• Multi-location stability evaluation of rice hybrids and parental lines

These works directly address food security, nutritional quality, and hybrid seed technology, making his research both scientifically robust and socially relevant.

Awards, Fellowships & Recognitions

Mr. Ragi has received numerous prestigious honors, including:

• ICAR-JRF (Rank 4, UR) and ICAR-SRF

• Pratibha Puraskar Scholarship (Government of Karnataka)

• Multiple Best Thesis Awards at national and international forums

• Young Plant Breeder Award (2022)

• Multiple Best Poster Presentation Awards at national and international conferences

• Merit scholarships from ICAR and academic excellence recognitions

Beyond academics, he has been recognized for leadership and service through NSS awards and NCC ‘B’ and ‘C’ Certificates, achieving officer-level ranks.

Eligibility for Best Researcher Award

Mr. Shridhar Ragi is highly eligible for the Best Researcher Award (Scientific Laurels) due to his outstanding research productivity, national-level recognitions, and impactful contributions to plant breeding and agricultural science. His strong publication record with impact factor journals, authorship of internationally published book chapters, competitive fellowships (ICAR-JRF & SRF), multiple best thesis and young scientist awards, and active involvement in cutting-edge rice hybrid breeding research collectively demonstrate research excellence, innovation, and leadership. His work aligns with national priorities such as food security, crop improvement, and nutritional quality, making him a deserving candidate for recognition under scientific laurels.