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Born at Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, India on 28 March, 1977, Dr. Sundeep Kumar, had his school education from Amar Singh Inter College, Lakhaoti (1986-93); He completed his B.Sc. (Ag.) in 1997, M. Sc. (Ag.) in 1999) in Agril. Botany from C.C.S. University, Meerut, and Ph. D. in Plant Breeding and Genetics in 2003 from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. Dr. Sundeep Kumar started his professional career in 2004 as Post Doctoral Fellow at Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany under DAAD Fellowship Program; Assistant Professor at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Univ. of Agril. & Tech., Meerut (2005-2010); Senior Scientist (Plant Biotechnology, PB-3) (17.02.2010 to 16.02.2013); Senior Scientist (Plant Biotechnology-PB 4) (17.02.2013 to 16.02.2016) and Principal Scientist (Plant Biotechnology) since 17.02.2016 at ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi.

Successfully completed 4In-house research projects and 8 externally funded projects. Responsible for leading, managing, and delivering high-profile research and development work in a range of projects and programs such as a Mega Mission Mode Project “Germplasm Characterization and Trait Discovery in Wheat using Genomics Approaches and its Integration for improving Climate Resilience, Productivity and Nutritional Quality” (Budget: ~40.00 Crores) since Feb 2020. He has been the recipient of several awards and honors which include Annual Research Fellowships Programme of ENEA-RES (External Relation, Govt. of Italy) during2004; DAAD fellowship program during 2004-05; BOYSCAST Fellowship program during 2008-09  Fellow of National Academy of Biological Sciences (NABS), Chennai, India (2021); Distinguished Scientist Award 2020 for contribution to the field of Plant Genetic Resources (2020); ISGPB Fellow (2018); Distinguished Scientist Award (2017) in the field of Plant Biotechnology; Young Scientist Award (2015) during National Conference on “Sustainable Agriculture Development through Biotechnological Techniques and its Impact on Food Security, Human Welfare and Climate”, February 28 to March 1, 2015; Young Scientist Award 2012 during 14^th Indian Agricultural scientists & Farmers’ Congress, 2012 and R.S. Paroda Young Scientist Award (2012) by Indian Society of Plant Genetic Resources.

Dr. Sundeep has made several original and novel discoveries, especially in the identification and development of new molecular markers and mapped QTLs for terminal heat tolerance, stripe rust, leaf rust, spot blotch, drought tolerance and root lesion nematode through genome-wide association mapping (GWAS) in Indian wheat germplasm. In addition, he has identified QTLs for drought tolerance, spot blotch resistance, and stay green trait in wheat following biparental approaches. Developed the core-set in wheat (using 35 morpho-physiological descriptors) and in rice (for entire north-eastern rice collections) using SNP markers. Conducted biggest evaluation trial in the history of Indian agriculture by evaluating ~22,000 wheat germplasm lines for novel sources of resistance to the three rusts and spot blotch (reported in Limca Book of Records) and initiated the promotion of indigenous wheat germplasm in wheat breeding. Identified and registered 25 novel wheat germplasm lines’ tolerance to different biotic and abiotic stresses. Done participatory research for the farmer’s community of the eastern subcontinent of South Asia and spread new varieties and technologies among poor farmers of South East Asia.

published 73 research articles in various peer-reviewed journals including Heredity, Frontiers in Plant Science, Briefings in Bioinformatics, Theoretical and Applied Genetics (TAG), Genomics, Frontiers in Genetics, Euphytica, Molecular Breeding, BMC Plant Biology, Plant Breeding, Crop Science, European J. of Plant Pathology, PLOS One, Current Microbiology, Plant Diseases & Protection., authoring two books, guided 13postgraduate and Ph.D. students The Indian Society of Genetics and Plant Breeding feels proud to bestow on Dr.Sundeep Kumar, the fellowship of the society for his outstanding contribution in the field of Plant Breeding and Genetics