P. Ananda Kumar is an Indian plant molecular biologist and biotechnologist.P.Ananda Kumar at National Research Center on Plant Biotechnology
Education
Born in a small village Kuchipudi, near Tenali, Guntur district of South Indian state of Andhra Pradesh Dr Kumar studied in the local S K V High School,SKV High School; http://skvhighschool.com/ VSR and NVR College, TenaliVSR & NVR College: http://www.vsrnvr.ac.in/ and Siver Jubilee Government College, Kurnool.SJGC: http://www.sjgckurnool.in/ He acquired M.Sc. degree in botany from Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati.P.Ananda Kumar speaker profile at BioAsia. He joined Agricultural Research Service in 1978ICAR: http://www.icar.org.in/ He started his research career at Central Tobacco Research Institute, Rajahmundry. Before Joining ARS, he briefly served Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack as CSIR Junior Research Fellow from January 1978 to June 1978.
Career
Kumar moved to the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi in 1979 and started working in the area of Plant Nitrogen Metabolism. His research contributions lead to the finding that the photorespiratory nitrogen cycle is an open process.Singh et al., 1985. Photorespiratory nitrogen cycle-A critical evaluation. Physiologia Plantarum 66: 169-176 He discovered that nitrate reductase enzyme derives its reducing power from photorespiration, considered a wasteful process by many plant physiologists.Kumar et al., 1988, Glycine supports in vivo reduction of nitrate in barley leaves. Plant Physiology 88: 1486-1488 Kumar acquired Ph.D. degree in plant physiology for his research on photorespiratory ammonia assimilation in crop species. Kumar worked as Alexander von Humboldt Fellow in the University of Hannover, Germany in 1991 and 1992. Chloroplast targeting of cyanobacterial nitrate reductase was achieved in order to link nitrate reduction to photosynthetic electron transport.Kumar et al., 1993. Integration of a cyanobacterial protein involved in nitrate reduction into isolated Synechococcus but not into pea thylakoid membranes. European Journal of Biochemistry 214: 533-537
Biotechnology Having acquired experience in molecular biology, Kumar started working on transgenic crops for insect resistance at Biotechnology Centre of IARI.Bt brinjal: http://www.livemint.com/Politics/vaCgPllEBDAnLEM8dR0GVL/Genetic-history.htmlPioneer of Bt brinjal: http://www.environmentportal.in/files/Bt%20Brinjal_2.pdf He developed Bt brinjal and field-tested it in 1995.Bt brinjal: Kumar et al., 1998 Insect-resistant transgenic brinjal plants. Molecular Breeding 4: 33-37 The "Event 142" that expresses a Bt insecticidal protein Cry1Fa1 is highly effective against Brinjal Shoot and Fruit Borer. The Event 142 was licensed to private companies for commercialization. Another "Event 25" was developed in tomato for protection against Tomato Fruit Borer (Helicoverpa armigera).Bt tomato: Mandaokar et al., 2000, Transgenic tomato plants resistant to fruit borer. Crop Protection 19: 307-312 Event 25 was also licensed to a private company. He also worked in the areas of Bacillus thuringiensis, gene discovery, tissue specific promoters, protein purification and functional genomics of cotton, Ragi and brinjal.
Bt Genes Dr Kumar constructed three codon modified genes encoding insecticidal proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) viz., CryAc-F, Cry1Fa1 and Cry2Aa. Indian patents were granted for the first two genes.India Patent Number: 242768, 2010; http://ipindia.ni.inIndia Patent number: 237912, 2010; http://ipindia.nic.in The patent application for cry2Aa gene was published in 2011. Several genetically modified events were generated in major crops by scientists in public research institutions and private companies. These events are currently being tested for biosafety under the GMO regulatory System of India.Bt brinjal BRL I: http://igmoris.nic.in/field_trials2009.asp
Genomics Dr Kumar also works in the area of plant genomics. He collaborated with Canadian institutions to sequence the Flax genome.Flax genome: Wang et al.,2012. The genome of flax (Linum usitatissimum) assembled de novo from short shotgun sequence reads. The Plant Journal 72: 461-473. Extensive work was carried out to unravel the genomics of cotton in relation to fibre development and the effect of abiotic and biotic stresses on cotton boll development.Cotton genomics: Padmalatha et al., 2012. Genome-wide transcriptomic analysis of cotton under drought stress reveal significant down-regulation of genes and pathways involved in fibre elongation and up-regulation of defense responsive genes. Plant Molecular Biology 78: 223–246
NRCPB (NIPB) Dr Kumar was Director of National Research Centre for Plant Biotechnology (NRCPB) located on the campus of Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India. It is currently known as National Institute for Plant BiotechnologyNRCPB: http://www.nrcpb.org/content/dr-p-ananda-kumar NRCPB reached great heights during his tenure (2007–2012). The institute unveiled genome sequences of tomato, Pigeonpea and Linseed. Public-Private Partnership (PPP) was given impetus and several technologies were commercialized. The institute was conferred with 'Sardar Patel Best ICAR Institution Award' by ICAR and 'Mahindra Krishi Sansthan Award' by Mahindra and Mahindra.
SPBB Dr Kumar is Secretary of the Society for Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology (SPBB). Currently he is vice-president of the SPBB. The society publishes a highly rated journal 'Journal of plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology' in collaboration with Springer.SPBB: http://spbbindia.org/about_us.php
Dr Kumar organized a highly successful international conference at New Delhi (21–24 February 2012) on behalf of SPBB.Conference: http://www.spbbindia.org/icpbfs.asp The conference was inaugurated by Prof. M.S. Swaminathan and attended by more than 600 national and international delegates.ICPBFS: http://www.icar.org.in/node/4318 ANGRAU Dr Kumar took over the responsibility of heading the 'Institute of Biotechnology' located in Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU), Hyderabad, India, as Director in August 2013.
IIRR (DRR) Dr Kumar moved back to Indian Council of Agricultural Research after the university deputation was completed. He joined Directorate of Rice Research at Hyderabad in April 2015. The institute is currently known as Indian Institute of Rice Reseaech. His research focuses on the root genomics of rice under aerobic and anaerobic conditions.
Director, IIRR Dr Kumar has taken charge of Director, IIRR with effect from 1 July 2017. He superannuated from ICAR service on 30 November 2017.Retirement: http://www.icar-iirr.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=31&Itemid=25&lang=en
Humboldt Fellow After retirement, Dr Kumar joined the Institute of Botany, Leibniz University, Hannover as Alexander von Humboldt Senior Fellow. He worked on regeneration in vitro of a single cell C4 plant species Bienertia sinupersici. He successfully regenerated it via somatic embryogenesis.
Scientist Emeritus Dr Kumar joined ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR) as Scientist Emeritus on October 1, 2018, to continue his research on genomics of rice under aerobic conditions.
Editor Dr Kumar is the Production Editor of the Journal of Rice Research published by the Society for Advancement of Rice Research, India.
Historian Dr Kumar is an avid scholar and student of Indian history. He started writing on post-Kakatiya period of medieval Indian history in 2021. He published four books, one in Telugu and three in English.
1. ముసునూరి నాయకులు-వారసులు (in Telugu). Ananda Publications, Hyderabad; 2021. 2. Musunuri Nayaks: A Saga of National Resurgence published by Motilal Banarsidass, New Delhi; 2024. 3. Pemmasani Nayaks: Vanguard of Vijayanagara, Ananda Publications, Hyderabad, 2025. 4. Ravella Nayaks: Bulwark of Vijayanagara, Ananda Publications, Hyderabad 2026.
Awards and honours
Young Scientist Award – INSA-1987.INSA Award: http://www.insaindia.org/youngmedal.php Prof Hiralal Chakavarty Award – ISCA National Bioscience Award – DBT Recognition Award – NAAS-2007.NAAS Award: VASVIK Award;– VASVIK Foundation-2000.VASVIK Award: http://www.vasvik.org/agricultural_sciences%20_&_technology.html Fellow – National Academy of Agricultural Sciences.NAAS Fellowship: Fellow - National Academy of Sciences, India.NASI Fellowship: http://www.nasi.org.in/fellows.asp Fellow - Andhra Pradesh Academy of Sciences - 2016.AP Acedemy Fellowship: http://apas.org.in/elected-fellows-of-apas-during-the-year-2016.html Fellow – Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung, Germany - 1991 and 2018 Dodla Raghava Reddy Medal - Plant Protection Association of India - 2016. Sardar Patel Best ICAR Institution Award - NRCPB (as Director) Mahindra Krishi Samriddhi Award - NRCPB (as Director) Important Assignments Member, Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), Ministry of Environment and Forests. Member, Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation (RCGM), Department of Biotechnology (DBT). Chairman, Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (MEC), DBT. Member, Research Advisory Committees (RAC) in ICAR-NIPB, CICR, IIPR, IIOR, DFR, NRCB
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