A former Professor of Genetics and Plant Breeding at Banaras Hindu University, India, he has been the CIMMYT Asia Regional Representative and Managing Director of Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA) since 2016.

A native of India, Dr. Joshi obtained his MS and Ph.D. from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. He has research and teaching experience of more than 40 years, including 16 years in the CGIAR system. Dr. Joshi is a fellow of the three most prestigious science academies in India – the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), the National Academy of Science in India (NASI), and the National Academy of Agriculture Sciences (NAAS). In 2014, he was awarded the Jeanie Borlaug Laube WIT Mentor Award from Borlaug Global Rust Initiative, Cornell, USA. In 2024, he was awarded the prestigious V.S. Mathur Memorial Award for outstanding wheat improvement contributions.

Dr. Joshi has facilitated the development and release of more than 100 wheat varieties in India and other South Asian countries (Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan) and has handled large-scale seed scaling in various countries, including Asia and Africa. He has significantly contributed to breeding wheat for climate resilience (heat and drought tolerance), disease resistance, conservation agriculture, zinc-rich genetic biofortification, and fast-track seed dissemination. In addition, he has collaborated on accelerated genetic gain, climate-resilient agriculture, and integrated food systems. Dr. Joshi has educated thousands of students, stakeholders, and farmers. His research findings are published in 205 refereed journal articles, 212 extension articles, manuals, 11 book chapters, 1 book, and 178 symposia proceedings, and he has a patent.