Rakesh Sharda is the new HoD of PAU’s soil and water engineering dept

Rakesh Sharda joined PAU in January 1996 as assistant research engineer and has been actively involved in research, extension and teaching activities related to micro irrigation, protected cultivation, and use of non-conventional energy resources in irrigation

Rakesh Sharda has been appointed as the head of department of soil and water engineering, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). He joined PAU in January 1996 as assistant research engineer and has been actively involved in research, extension and teaching activities related to micro irrigation, protected cultivation, and use of non-conventional energy resources in irrigation.

Rakesh Sharda has been appointed as the head of department of soil and water engineering, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). (HT File Photo)

Sharda has had a total of 13 nationally and internationally funded research projects amounting to a total funding of ₹989.9 lakhs under his belt.

Currently, he is working on nine research projects as principal and co-principal investigator, with a total grant of ₹3642.92 lakhs.

As chief scientist in the AICRP on plastic engineering in agricultural structures and environment management, he is working on plant factory, aeroponics and aquaponics technologies. Some of the prominent funding agencies include DST, IRRI Philippines, Ministry of Agriculture, Mission Tandrust Punjab, NFL etc.

With experiences in drip Irrigation, fertigation and mulching, Sharda emphasizes multidisciplinary approach to agriculture and is working in collaboration with the department of soil science, floriculture and landscape, fruit science, vegetables, processing and food technology, school of electrical engineering and information technology, farm machinery and power engineering, maize section, pulses section, oil seeds section and entomology.