Surinder Banga got his Bachelor of Science degree from Kurukshetra University in 1975 and his Master of Science degree from the Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana in 1978. He was conferred the PhD (1982) in plant breeding by the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. He is currently working as a DAE Raja Ramanna Fellow and Professor (Honorary Adjunct). Prior to that, he held the prestigious ICAR National Professor Chair from 2010–2020. He had served Punjab Agricultural University in various capacities, including Head, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Senior Scientist (Oilseeds), and Professor.

Academic and Research Achievements: Prof. Banga has conducted extensive research with basic and applied plant breeding outcomes. Central objectives of his research were: pre-breeding for architectural restructuring, development of new sources of cytoplasmic male sterility; introgression of alien variation for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses; generation of basic information and genomic resources. Prof. Banga has  co-developed 19 varieties of rapeseed-mustard crops. These include cytoplasmic male sterility-based hybrids of conventional, canola, and oilseed rape. His efforts have led to the first-time development of a stable Brassica allohexaploid, determinate Brassicas, and introgression lines of mustard with alien segment substitutions bearing genes for resistance to Sclerotinia stem rot, mustard aphid, and abiotic stresses in mustard. Banga has developed novel methods for the resynthesis of natural amphiploids from related allotetraploids and the restitution of diploid progenitor(s) from existing amphiploid species. He was also associated with the development of FISH probes to identify individual chromosomes in Brassica and Raphanus. His studies helped to enhance understanding of brassica pan genomes, heterotic gene pools, genetic diversity, origin, migration, and selective sweeps in mustard.

Other Contributions: Prof. Banga has served  as a member of many high level committees. These include: the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), the Government of India (2013–2017), the Expert Committee for Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) of Genetically Engineered (GE) Crops, Government of India (2014-2015), Task Force-II, set up by PPV & FRA authority to develop DUS criteria for various crops, including oilseeds, cotton, sugarcane, jute, etc.; the Program, Planning, and Policy Committee of PPV & FRA Authority, Sectoral Committee of Accreditation Board on Curriculum and Equivalence, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Quinquennial review team on rapeseed-mustard (2005–2009), Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Chairman, Quinquennial review team on rapeseed-mustard (2015–2020); Member, Delhi Biodiversity Society.

Awards and Honours: Prof. Banga has been bestowed with several awards. These include: the Dr. Darshan Singh Brar Award in Agriculture by the Dr. Gurdev Singh Khush Foundation (2021), the Raja Ramanna Fellowship, Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India (2021), the National Professor Chair, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (2010–2020), the Lifetime Achievement Award, Society for Rapeseed-Mustard Research, India (2017), and the Award of Honour, Golden Jubilee Celebrations, Punjab Agricultural University (2012). He is a fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (FNAAS), the Indian Society of Oilseeds Research (FISOR), and the Society of Rapeseed-Mustard Research (FSRMR).