Raman Meenakshi Sundaram, principal scientist (Biotechnology), ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research (ICAR-IIRR), has been inducted as a fellow of the prestigious National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS).
Dr. Sundaram has contributed significantly towards development and application of molecular markers in rice breeding. He has developed a high-yielding, bacterial blight resistant, fine-grain type rice variety possessing low glycemic index, named ‘Improved Samba Mahsuri’ through marker-assisted selection in collaboration with CSIR-CCMB, Hyderabad.
A statement said that he has also contributed towards improving rice for resistance against blast disease, brown planthopper and gall midge pests. The novel genes and molecular markers identified by Dr. Sundaram are widely used by various rice researchers across the world and the breeding lines developed by him are being used by different Indian rice research groups as donors for various traits.
Dr. Sundaram has published more than 140 high impact research articles in International and national journals of repute and has authored and co-authored many books.
