Vishwas A. Bapat obtained his M. Sc. degree in Botany in 1969 from the Shivaji University, Kolhapur. After working in a college for one year, he joined Biology and Agriculture Division of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai as a scientist in 1971. He obtained his Ph.D. degree in 1981 from University of Mysore, Mysore in 1981 while working under the supervision of Dr. P.S. Rao at BARC, Mumbai. Dr Bapat worked with Dr. Schieder at Max Planck Institute, Cologne, Germany during 1980-81 to decipher the various parameters for standardization of plant protoplasts culture and regeneration. Simultaneously, he had worked with Dr. Wenzel of the same institute on anther culture of potato and other plants. Dr. Bapat retired from BARC in 2007 as Head, Plant Cell Culture Technology Section and joined Shivaji University, Kolhapur as CSIR, Emeritus Scientist.

Academic and Research Achievements: Dr V. A. Bapat currently working as a CSIR, Emeritus Scientist at Shivaji University, Kolhapur and his research work spanned different areas of plant biotechnology such as cell, organ and anther culture, organogenesis, embryogenesis, protoplast culture, synthetic seed technology and plant genetic engineering. Dr. Bapat has done pioneering work on tissue culture of sandalwood and mulberry. His work on Banana micropropagation technology has been transferred to user agencies. The protocol developed for direct somatic embryogenesis from inflorescence segments of sugarcane has been patented. He has established plant protoplast culture and regeneration systems and has worked on in vitro mutagenesis using radiation in banana and sugarcane for the induction of novel genetic variability. Dr Bapat had worked on genetic engineering of numerous crop plants for disease resistance, edible vaccines and delayed fruit ripening. He has also contributed in developing hairy roots in potato for the expression of recombinant proteins and Gmelina for secondary metabolites. Currently, he is working on rescue of endangered plants, phytoremediation of industrial waste materials, analysis of uncommon fruits / vegetables for nutritional components and synthesis of nano particles using plant cells. Dr. Bapat has published more than 175 research papers and reviews in all leading journals and books.

Other Contributions: Dr. Bapat has coordinated a program to set up commercial tissue Culture laboratories for banana multiplication and has helped several academic institutions to set up plant biotechnology laboratories.

Awards and Honors: Dr. Bapat is an elected fellow of National Academy of Sciences (India), Allahabad and Maharashtra Academy of Sciences. He is a member of Internal Bio safety Committee of MAHYCO, Mumbai and Nimber Agri. Centre. Phaltan. Dr. Bapat has been selected for senior scientist position in 2012 by INSA.