PAU appoints Dr Balwinder Singh as DR and Dr R.S. Sidhu as DEE

Ludhiana, October 27, 2014: The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has made new appointments to various key posts during its Board of Management meeting at University Camp Office, SAS Nagar (Mohali) today. Dr Balwinder Singh has been appointed as Director of Research while Dr R.S. Sidhu has been appointed as Director of Extension Education. Dr R.S. Singh has been appointed as Director, Regional Research Station (RRS), Gurdaspur while Dr Paramjit Singh has been appointed as Director, RRS Bathinda. Dr RIS Gill has been appointed as Head, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources whereas Dr (Mrs) Jagdish Kaur has been appointed as Head, Department of Agricultural Journalism, Languages and Culture.
Dr Balwinder Singh present Head, Department of Entomology has expertise in insect toxicology. He has played a pivotal role in handling five research projects, funded by Food and Agriculture Organization, US Department of Agriculture; ICAR, New Delhi; ICMR, New Delhi and Punjab Government. In addition, he has handled 51 industry sponsored research projects. Dr Singh has made enormous contribution to research findings which include coordinate research work on pesticide residues in different laboratories and to develop cost-effective analytical methodologies for the estimation of pesticide residues for new molecules; persistence of various insecticide-crop combinations so as to work out the waiting periods for the safety of consumers; and monitoring biotic and abiotic components of the environment. Dr Singh has been awarded Commonwealth Academic Staff Fellowship to work at Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK from October 2005 to March 2006. Besides, he has been conferred with the fellowship by Indian Society for Advancement of Insect Science. Dr Singh has served as President of Indian Society for Advancement of Insect Science and Vice-President of Pesticide Science India. He is also a member of task force constituted by Ministry of Agriculture under the project “Monitoring of Pesticide Residues at National Level.” Dr Singh has played a key role in strengthening infrastructure for toxicology research work at PAU. Recently, the Pesticide Residue Analysis Laboratory at PAU has been accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Laboratories and this is the first laboratory among state farm varsities to be awarded such a recognition.
An agricultural economist, Dr R.S. Sidhu is a member of the Working Group of Planning Commission (Agriculture Division) on “Agriculture Credit, Cooperatives and Risks,” Government of India for 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17). Besides, he is a member of the Editorial Board of the journal ‘Agricultural Economics Research Review’ and Vice-President of Indian Society of Agricultural Marketing, Hyderabad. He has taught the subjects of advanced agricultural economics, advanced financial management, agricultural policy, and agricultural finance and cooperation to the postgraduate students. Two Ph.D and four M.Sc students have successfully completed their degrees under his guidance. He became Head, Department of Economics and Sociology in 2008 and was elevated to the position of Dean, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities in 2009 (first term) and 2013 (second term).
He is also holding the additional charge of PAU Registrar at present. He is a recipient of RT Doshi Foundation Award by Agricultural Economics Research Association during 2006 and 2008. He was invited by the Indian Society of Agricultural Economics to deliver keynote paper on “Agricultural Credit and Indebtedness” during 65th Annual Conference at PAU in November 2005. Dr Sidhu has visited many countries such as USA, New Zealand, U.K. Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, etc. on professional assignments.
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