Mangi Lal Jat takes charge as DARE secretary ICAR DG

New Delhi, Apr 21 (PTI) Agronomist Mangi Lal Jat on Monday took charge as Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
     His term will be for three years. Jat replaces Himanshu Pathak, who has taken voluntary retirement.
     Jat brings over 25 years of rich experience in agronomy, climate-resilient farming, and conservation agriculture.
     "His appointment is expected to catalyse a new era of innovation, sustainability, and farmer-first research within ICAR and the broader agricultural ecosystem," the agriculture ministry said in a statement.
     As he steps into this dual leadership role, Jat is poised to guide ICAR in addressing pressing challenges such as climate change, soil degradation, and food system transformation, it added.
     Prior to this, Jat was serving as Deputy Director General (Research) and Director of the Global Research Program at International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad.
     An alumnus of ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, Jat holds a PhD in agronomy.
     Jat has held key leadership positions at ICRISAT, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), besides 12 years at ICAR as Systems Agronomist.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)