Brief Biodata of Scientific Staff Dr.Manjit Singh MANJIT SINGH obtained his M.Sc. and Ph.D. degree from Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana.  In 1976 he started his career as Scientist in the first batch of ARS. After serving CPRI from 1976 to 1983, he joined NCMRT (now DMR), Solan in 1984 and  worked at the Centre till Jan, 1988.  Thereafter he joined CAZRI, Jodhpur where he served as Head, Division of Plant Sciences and Biotechnology from May 1997 to December 2008.  He received M.S. Randhawa Medal from PAU, Ludhiana in 1975 and ICAR Team Award in 1993. Presently he is serving as Director of DMR, Solan. Dr. R. C. Upadhyay R. C. Upadhyay obtained his Master of Science in Botany from Vikram University, Ujjain in 1976. He obtained his Dr. Rer. Naturalium (Ph.D.) from Friedrich Schiller University,  Jena Germany in 1995. He was selected through Agricultural Scientist Recruitment Board (ASRB) of ICAR in 1977. His 1st place of posting was at the Central Potato Research Station, Patna (Bihar) as Scientist S-1 ( Plant Pathology). He joined NCMRT (now DMR), Solan on 5th Dec. 1983. Dr. B. Vijay Bhuvnesh Vijay obtained his M.Sc. Botany (sp.in Plant Pathology) from Vikram University Ujjain (M.P.) in 1974. He served as Assistant Professor (Pl. Pathology) at Agriulture Research Station, Durgapura, Jaipur from 1974 to 1977. After that he joined the Agricultural Research Service of ICAR and presently is working at DMR, Solan (HP) since October, 1983. He completed his doctoral research on “Investigations on compost mycoflora and crop improvement in Agaricus bisporus (Lange) Sing from HP University Shimla (HP) in 1996. Dr. VP Sharma VP Sharma obtained his B.Sc (Agri) from Himachal Pradesh Krshi Visva Vidyalaya, Palampur, in 1984 and M.Sc (Plant Path.) from Dr Y.S Parmar University of horticulture and Forestry, Solan, in 1986. He received his Ph.D. ( Plant Pathology) in 1989 from Dr Y.S Parmar University of horticulture and Forestry. He Joined as Asstt. Mycologist in the Deptt. of Mycology and Plant Pathology, UHF, Nauni, Solan in May, 1990. From 1999 May to Feb, 2004 he served the university as Mycologist and in Feb, 2004 joined DMR Chambaghat, as senior scientist. Presently he is Principal scientist( Plant Pathology). He has received Yadvindra Young Scientist Award two times in 1994 and 1997. Dr. OP Ahlawat Dr. Om Parkash Ahlawat obtained his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Microbiology from Ch. Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar in the year 1989 and 1993, respectively.  He joined National Research Centre for Mushroom in August, 2000 as Senior Scientist, Microbiology. Presently he is serving as Principal Scientist (Biotechnology). He has received KU Patel Award in the year 2000 from All India Food Preserver’s Association, New Delhi, Scientist of the Year Award, (2004) from NESA, New Delhi and Kejriwal Award 2007 from AIFPA, New Delhi. Dr. Kunal Mandal Dr. Kunal Mandal obtained his MSc (Ag) degree from department of Mycology & Plant Pathology, Banaras Hindu University during 1996 and completed PhD in Botany from Sardar Patel University, Anand during 2006. He joined the ICAR as Scientist (Plant Pathology) at Directorate of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants Research, Anand in December 1997 where he got selected as Senior Scientist during March 2007. He joined DMR as Principal Scientist (Plant Pathology) during April 2011. Dr. Satish Kumar Satish Kumar obtained his PhD (Agricultural Entomology) form Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishva Vidyalaya, Palmapur in the year 1996. In the same year he joined the Agricultural Research Services of Indian Council of Agricultural Research. He joined NRCM, Solan  in 1996.  For his significant contribution in mushroom  research, he was awarded the Fellowship of Mushroom Society of India. Dr. Shwet Kamal Dr. Shwet Kamal has obtained his Ph.D degree in mushroom from National Research Centre for mushroom with Registered with LN Mithila University, Darbhanga in the year 2001. He worked as Research Associate at IHBT (CSIR), Palampur and NRC for Mushroom, Solan till 2006. Then he has joined Amity University as lecturer. Dr. Shwet Kamal has been selected for MIUR fellowship, Italy and worked as guest researcher at Dipartimento de Biologia Vegetale, Universita de Torino, Italy for a period of one year. During the period he has also been nominated as a member of World Tuber Genome Consortium, INRA, France. Dr. Shwet Kamal has joined DMR as Senior Scientist on 16th March 2010. Dr.K. Manikandan Dr. K. Manikandan, obtained B.Sc. (Forestry) from Forest College, TNAU, Mettupalayam in 2001 and M.Sc. (Agri.) from Agri college, TNAU, Killikulam in 2003. He did his Ph.D.  in Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry From TNAU,Coimbatore in 2007.   He joined DMR on dated 29.08.2009 as Soil Scientist. Shri  Mahentesh  Shirur Mahantesh Shirur, obtained B.Sc. (Agri.) from Agriculture College Bijapure, UAS, Dharwad, Karnataka in 2001 and M.Sc. (Agri.) from Agriculture College Bapatla ANGRAU, Hyderabad (A.P.) in 2003. He worked as Assistant Administrative Officer in NWKRTC from January 2008 - April 2009.  He joined DMR on dated 28.08.2009 as Scientist Agril Extension.