Dr. Archana Mukherjee

Former Director, ICAR-CTCRI, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India

Former Head, Regional Centre,

ICAR-CTCRI, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India

archanapsm2@rediffmail.com

Academic career and professional attainments

Dr. Archana Mukherjee is born in 27 th October, 1957. After schooling in Science, she started her career with B.Sc. (Botany Hons.) jubilantly, from ‘Bankura Christian College’ with rank. Did her Post Graduation (PG) on ‘Botany’ with specialization on ‘Cytogenetics and Plant Breeding’ in Kalyani University with rank. During PG, worked in the field of ‘Plant Tissue Culture and Cytogenetical stability’. Later she got selected for Junior Research Fellow of CSIR as well as ICAR-ARS Scientist based on All India tests. After joining ICAR, CTCRI, as scientist on 05.02.1986, worked on tuber crops tissue culture. Later on 13.12.1994, she got transfer to Regional Centre of ICAR-CTCRI, Bhubaneswar for development of the Centre in public interest. She completed doctoral degree with CSIR Senior Research Fellowship. She got selected for ‘Long term International training on Bio technology, Micro propagation and related techniques for improvement of crops. This training was totally funded by DSE-ZEL, Federal Republic of Germany. She expanded the area of her work on DNA finger printing. She also acquired management training by ISNAR, The Netherlands, in Germany.

R & D

She had developed ‘State of the art – plant biotechnology laboratory’ at Regional Centre (RC), ICAR-CTCRI, Bhubaneswar’ with AP-Cess, NATP-CGP and Institutional grants. In her professional career, developed the in vitro propagation techniques for all tuber crops. Developed in vitro screening techniques against stresses. Cryopreservation technique to recover rare hybrids. Simultaneously worked on field research to validate the in vitro products. Using integrated knowledge on biotechnology and field research, succeeded in developing climate resilient, nutritionally enriched sweet potato varieties. Among which ‘Bhu Krishna’ is the first purple flesh (90mg/100g anthocyanin), resistant to weevil pest and tolerant to salt stress (6-8dSm -1 ) is the most popular one followed by orange flesh ‘Bhu Sona’ with highest beta carotene (14-16mg/100g) containing high starch (22-24%). Similarly developed the taro varieties viz. ‘Bhu Kripa’, ‘Bhu Sree’ enriched with nutrition and essential elements to combat ‘Hidden Hunger’. In this context, she worked further with senior colleague and also in collaboration with other 22 partner countries through the project ‘International Network for Edible Aroids (INEA)’ ontaro. Those nutrition enriched taro varieties are resistant to leaf blight, tolerant to salt and drought stresses. Developed more than 20 varieties and their hybrid propagnies (29) for future.
Dissemination of improved varieties / technologies across Odisha and beyond (>3000ha) with support of State, Central Govt.
She has formulated and introduced RKVYs schemes with ‘Seed village and Cluster approach’ in backward nutrition sensitive areas of Odisha and Kerala to pupular the improved rainbow coloured sweet potato viz. Bhu Sona, Bhu Krishna and other tuber crops. Besides, developed improved varieties are also disseminated regularly since post supper cyclone period in Odisha and other backward areas of the country. Community based participatory evaluation and breeding in taro widened the Farmer’s acceptability of new technologies under “International Network for Edible Aroids (INEA)”. Those climate resilient improved sweet potato, taro are gaining popularity not only as food-nutrition but also as source of various bio active process products. Established “Varietal gene banks of all tuber crops & developed DUS guidelines” sponsored by PPV & FRA, New Delhi. Inducted Regional Centre Bhubaneswar as ‘DUS Centre’.

RMP

i. She got selected as Head, RC, ICAR-CTCRI by ASRB in January 2016. She strengthened the field infrastructure starting from bore well, drip irrigation, farm implements to ‘State of the art-Modern seed storage facilities’ with PPV & FRA, INEA and RKVY Projects.
ii. She got selected as Director of ICAR-CTCRI, the National Laboratory on tropical tuber crops, located in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala during March 2017 by ASRB. There were dues of submission of various documents of the Institute viz. Monetization of the Institute, Ranking of the Institute, Review of cadre strength, Quinquennial Review and so on. All these she could execute with encouragement from DG, ICAR and Cooperation of her colleagues. She could shoulder the regular activities as Director more vibrantly for expanding overall growth and visibility of the Institute by forgetting her Cancer.

During her leadership, Institute got many laurels in every field of science including ‘Best Annual Report’ award (2017-18) for the Institute and also in sports.
On 31 st October 2019, she superannuated with the satisfaction of executing her duties as per the need to benefit her organization, ICAR, thereby our Nation “Bharat”.
She is the recipient of various National and International awards. Among those National scholarship, Govt. of India; International Scholarship of DSE-ZEL Germany; Jawaharlal Nehru Gold medal for outstanding PG research; Punjabrao Deshmukh Award for Outstanding Woman Scientist of ICAR have enlightened her to walk ahead with “Science of Consciousness”.
She feels fortunate to have the platform of “Institute of Philosophy of Science” to expand her “Chetona Bigyan”.

Professional achievements in brief:

A. Varieties– Total no. of varieties developed- 49, Varieties released- 20
B. Publication details– (Total Publication- 243)
Papers published in referred journals – 93,Practical/ training manual- 10,
Book chapater- 16, Popular articles- 40, Papers in proceedings- 84
C. HRD (Ph.D- 4, M.Sc.- 40), Besides, she inspired the staff of RC and HQ (Bhubaneswar and Trivandrum) for higher studies and skill development. She has motivated the school children and other beneficiaries including inmates of Jail regarding “Atmanirbhar Bharat” with ‘Food’ stressing on ‘Traditional food’ and ‘Local produce’ etc.
D. Technologies / Methodologies developed (13)
Eight in vitro technologies developed for cryo conservation, propagation and recovery of rare hybrids. Developed artificial seeds as true seeds. Cut. Inflorescence for controlled pollination, hydroponics for rapid screening and hardening.
E. Patents / Guidelines : Developed DUS guidelines in all tuber crops. Inducted Regional Centre of CTCRI, Bhubaneswar as DUS Centre for all tuber crops.
F. Mobilized funds as PI : Rs 11.39 Crores
G. Awards received – National, International =12
H. Professional association- 11