Dr. A. K. Singh is an Emeritus Scientist in the Division of Genetics at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, and a globally recognised rice breeder. Over three decades at IARI, he has played a pivotal role in the development of 25 Basmati rice varieties, now cultivated across nearly two million hectares and generating approximately ₹50,000 crore annually in foreign exchange, while supporting the livelihoods of millions of farmers. During his tenure as Director and Vice-Chancellor of IARI, the institute received the Sardar Patel Outstanding Award and achieved top national rankings under NIRF and IIRF, along with strong global recognition in agriculture. He led the establishment of IARI-Assam and IARI-Jharkhand to advance agricultural transformation in eastern and north-eastern India and spearheaded alignment with NEP 2020 towards creating a Multidisciplinary Education and Research University (MERU). Dr. Singh also contributed to establishing international agricultural institutions in Myanmar and Afghanistan. He is a Fellow of INSA, NASI, and NAAS, and a recipient of numerous national honours, including the Borlaug Award, ICAR Rafi Ahmad Kidwai Award, C. Subramaniam Award, and several lifetime achievement and teaching awards.
