Ludhiana, Dec 5, 2024 (Yes Punjab News)
Two bright students from the Department of Plant Pathology, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) have recently achieved remarkable milestones in their academic and research careers. Dikshita Saikia has been awarded INSPIRE Fellowship- 2024 and Shubham Kumar has secured admission to Kansas State University.
Dikshita Saikia, a Ph.D. research scholar from the Department of Plant Pathology at PAU, has been awarded the prestigious ‘Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research’ (INSPIRE) Fellowship-2024 by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India.
Dikshita is currently pursuing her doctoral research on the “Basis of Resistance for Yellow Mosaic Disease in Vigna species,” under the guidance of Dr Amarjit Singh, Principal Extension Scientist, and Dr Asmita Sirari, Plant Pathologist (Pulses) at PAU.
Her research focuses on combating the damaging effects of Yellow Mosaic Disease, a significant threat to pulse crops. The INSPIRE Fellowship recognizes Dikshita’s potential in agricultural science and is expected to encourage her to contribute to the advancement of sustainable agriculture.
In another achievement, Shubham Kumar, a first-year M.Sc. Plant Pathology student at PAU, has earned admission to the Master’s program in Horticulture at Kansas State University, Olathe, USA.
As part of his graduate studies, Shubham will be working as a Graduate Research Assistant under the guidance of Dr Ravneet Sandhu, focusing on strawberry production. This opportunity marks a significant step in Shubham’s academic journey, allowing him to broaden his knowledge and expertise in horticultural research.
Dr Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor, PAU; Dr AS Dhatt, Director of Research; Dr MIS Gill, Dean of Postgraduate Studies; and Dr PS Sandhu, Head, Department of Plant Pathology, congratulated the students for showcasing academic brilliance.
