Dr. Rajkumar Uttamrao Zunjare completed his B.Sc. (Ag.) from Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapith, Parbhani, Maharashtra in 2010. M.Sc. (Genetics) & Ph. D. (Genetics & Plant Breeding) from ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, in 2012 and 2017, respectively.  He joined as a Scientist at Division of Genetics, ICAR-IARI, New Delhi in 2016.

He is an active member of the research team focusing on the genetic improvement of maize for nutritional quality and specialty traits. He contributed significantly in development of 14 maize hybrids that includes nine biofortified hybrids, two baby corn hybrids, two sweet corn hybrids and one field corn hybrid. Notably, three biofortified hybrids (Pusa HQPM5 improved, Pusa HQPM7 Improved and Pusa HQPM1 improved) developed using molecular breeding in his doctoral research have been released and notified for commercial cultivation through CVRC. He has pioneered the development of first male sterile baby corn “Pusa HM4 male sterile baby corn (Shishu)” by public sector in India. Besides, he has published 55 research papers in journals of repute. He is also teaching and guiding M.Sc. and Ph. D. students since 2019.

Dr. Rajkumar is  recipient of many honours and awards which include- DST-SERB International Research Experience to visit Iowa State University, USA for six months (2022); Fellow of Indian Society of Genetics & Plant Breeding (2022), Manihar Best PG Research in Maize Award (2020) of MTAI; ICAR-Jawaharlal Nehru Award (2018) for Outstanding Doctoral Research; ICAR-Senior Research Fellowship in Genetics and Plant Breeding (2015); Full Sponsorship for oral paper presentation at 12^th Asian Maize Conference, Bangkok, Thailand (2014); Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship for PhD (2012-2015). He has secured first rank in Plant Sciences subject in All India Entrance Examination for ICAR-JRF (2010) and qualified ASRB-NET with 87% of marks (2013). Presently, he is working as PI and Co-PI of two and six externally funded project, respectively.

The Indian Society of Genetics and Plant Breeding has great pleasure in presenting 8^th  Dr. Srinivasa Ramanujam Memorial Award for his outstanding contributions in breeding and genetics.