Atmaram Bhairav Joshi earned his BSc (Hons) degree (1937) from Nagpur University, Post-Graduate Diploma of Associateship of IARI New Delhi (1939), MSc (1945) and PhD (1950) from the University of Cambridge, England (1950). He was Dean, Post Graduate School, IARI, New Delhi (1958-65); Member, Education Commission of India (Kothari Commission); Panel on Agricultural Education (1965-66); Director, IARI (1965-66) and (1972-77); Vice-Chancellor, Mahatma Phule Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Rahuri (1977-80); Chairman, Research Advisory Committee of IARI, New Delhi and Central Institute for Cotton Research, ICAR, Nagpur; and Vice President, Maharashtra Education Society, Pune. He was the first Project Coordinator for Wheat Research Project of ICAR (1960-66); Deputy Director General, ICAR, New Delhi (1966-72); and Member of Scientific Advisory Committee to the Prime Minister (1972-76).

Academic and Research Achievements: Joshi has made significant contributions to (i) cytogenetic research in sesame, chickpea (gram), tobacco, chilli and other crops; and (ii) evolutionary origin (and cytogenetics) of cultivated bhindi (okra) and fodder grass (Panicum maximum). He carried out research on plant breeding methodology in relation to self-pollinated/cross-pollinated crops – cotton and wheat; developed a few approach to quantitative genic exploitation in crop improvement research. During 1960s and 1970s the research contributions by Dr Joshi and his team, made it possible to usher in the Green Revolution of India. He is having over 300 publications including monograph on sesame and cotton. He mentored about fourty six Post Graduates and PhD Students.

Other Contributions: Dr Joshi has served a number of international assignments dealing with agriculture at different capacities, such as Member, International Team for Improvement of Agricultural Research Organization in Indonesia (1969); FAO/UNDP Project Manager for the improvement of field crop productivity in Egypt; Member, Board of Directors, International Potato Research Institute Lima (Peru) (1972-76); Member, Advisory Committee (TAC) of Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), Washington DC, USA (1973-77), etc. He has also served as Member of World Bank Mission to Tanzania (1979); Member, Quinquennial Review team for ICRISAT (Hyderabad), Chairman, Research Advisory Council NABARA, Mumbai; President, Maharashtra Association for Cultivation of Science; Chairman, RAC of Agharkar Research Institute, Pune; and Chairman, Research & Development Committee of the Central Bee Research Institute, Pune and KVIC.

Awards and Honours: Dr Joshi is a recipient of Padma Shri (1976), Norman Borlaug Award (1976) and BD Tilak Lecture of INSA (1984). He has been honoured as India’s Foremost Agricultural Research Scientist, Educationist and Administrator and conferred with DSc (hc) of IARI, New Delhi, GB Pant University Pantanagar (UP) and Marathawada Agricultural University, Parbhani (Maharashtra). Dr Joshi is a Fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Science, New Delhi, the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore; the Maharashtra Academy of Science, Pune, the Indian Botanical Society, and the Indian Society of Generics and Plant Breeding (President 1962 and 1979). He was Secretary, INSA (1973-76).