Vice Chancellor Message

• Dr. R. R. B. Singh took over as Vice Chancellor of Dau Sri Vasudev Chandrakar Kamdhenu University, Chhattisgarh on September 11, 2023. He obtained Bachelor Degree from Sheth M. C. College of Dairy Science under the then Gujarat Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat majoring in Dairy Technology and post graduate degree in Dairy Technology from ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana.

• He earned his Doctoral degree also from ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute in 1991, specializing in thermal processing with focus on UHT processing of milk. His other areas of research interests have been sorption phenomenon in foods, application of reaction kinetics and artificial neural network in food quality modelling, traditional Indian dairy products, nutraceuticals and functional foods. He has over 30 years of experience as academician, researcher and research manager at the leading Agricultural Institution of the country having been vested with the responsibilities of planning, guiding, implementing and administering education, multi-disciplinary research and outreach programmes. Prior to taking over this responsibility, he served as Joint Director (Academic) and Dean at the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) during 2016-22 where he took many initiatives to improve academic standards, transparency and efficiency through measures such as Academic Automation, online entrance test, establishment of IQAC, participation in National Academic Depository, Adjunct Faculty Program, introducing Foundation Program for Fresher’s with round the year follow up mechanism, establishment of language labs, increased institute-industry interface etc. He secured AICTE approval for the B. Tech (Dairy Technology) program and accomplished renewal of ICAR & UGC accreditation of all the academic programs. Many of these initiatives significantly impacted student outcome as evidenced from nearly 100 per cent placement, >10% annual rise in median salary and nearly 20% of the undergraduate outturns securing admission to IIMs, IRMA, IIFT and Universities in USA and Europe during his tenure. He also provided leadership to National Dairy Research Institute for three years and during this period, the Deemed University was continuously placed at No.1 position in ICAR ranking among all State Agricultural Universities in the country and was also recognized as Special Mention Institution (2018) by National Institutional Ranking Framework of Ministry of Human Resource Development, GOI. During this period, external grants in excess of INR 820 million were mobilized to support research programs, faculty and student exchange and strengthening of infrastructure. Institutional Development Plan implemented under his leadership supported international training for >30 faculty and overseas internship of 6-8 weeks for >80 students at leading global universities. Prior to this, as Dean at Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour during 2013-15, he contributed to organizing undergraduate program in Dairy Technology with very high placement rate and significant strengthening of infrastructure.

• In his role as researcher and teacher, he developed nearly a dozen technologies, seven of which have been commercialized to a dozen manufacturers; filed nine process patents, five of which have already been granted; worked as PI & Co-PI in eight externally funded (~INR 150 million), ten institutional and five contract research projects; contributed nearly 100 research publications many of which are in high impact international and national research journals. He is recipient of more than a dozen awards including ICAR Outstanding Team Research Award and Fellowship of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences. He has visited Dairy, Food and Animal/Agricultural Science institutions in nine countries (USA, Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Belgium, Sweden. Netherlands, Sri Lanka and Germany) to pursue his professional interests. He has also served as Member of the Task Force/Expert Committee in Department of Science & Technology & Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Government of India and Standing Committee of International Dairy Federation, Brussels; Chairman and Co-Chairman of national committees of Education Division of the ICAR, Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India and Convener of the committee for developing strategy document for doubling farmers income for Haryana.