Dr Rajan Sharma is an accomplished plant pathologist having expertise in disease resistance, host-pathogen interaction, virulence characterization and plant quarantine. Dr Sharma is currently Principal Scientist & Cluster Leader - Crop Protection & Seed Health (CPSH), Global Research Program on Accelerated Crop Improvement at ICRISAT Headquarters based in Hyderabad, India. Dr Sharma leads the research team in several areas of CPSH cluster, including plant pathology, entomology, microbiology, and plant quarantine/seed health.
Dr Sharma has a PhD from HP Agricultural University, Palamapur, India and was awarded a Gold medal by Him-utkarsh Society, Una, H. P. India. Dr Sharma is Board member and South Asia Regional Coordinator, International Association for the Plant Protection Sciences (IAPPS). HDr Sharma is the recipient of ICRISAT Science Award (2014 and 2019) for Outstanding Partnership and International Plant Protection Congress Award for Scientific Achievements (2019) presented by International Association for the Plant Protection Sciences (IAPPS). Rajan served as Vice-President of Plant Protection Association of India during 2014-15 and is a member of International and National societies including American Phytopathological Society. Dr Sharma has published more than 100 research papers and book chapters and served as Chief Editor of the Indian Journal of Plant Protection during 2016-18.
Dr Sharma liaises with the National Plant Protection Organization for the smooth exchange of germplasm and breeding material of ICRISAT mandate crops. Dr Sharma's core competencies include monitoring virulence spectrum of plant pathogens; development of PCR-compatible markers and their use in genetic diversity assessment, and mapping of avirulence genes; elucidating molecular basis of host-pathogen interaction; identification and utilization of resistance sources for disease management; development of diagnostic protocols and salvaging techniques for infested/infected germplasm. Dr Sharma has guided over 10 MSc and PhD students, mentored many researchers and PDFs, and organized training/capacity building programs for NARS in Asia and Africa.