US varsity confers its highest award on agronomist Khush

Agronomist Prof Gurdev Singh Khush has been chosen for the prestigious 2018 UC Davis Medal. The medal is the highest honour presented by the University of California to those who have made exceptional and sustained contributions to the UC Davis community and beyond.

In a letter to Prof Khush on February 26, UC chancellor Gary S May wrote, “You are an ambassador of the institution through scholarship, service and dedication to the values we uphold at Davis... Through enquiry that revolutionised the quality and abundance of rice, you have given of yourself in remarkable ways to ensure the greatly increased nourishment and health of the humankind.”

An alumnus of Punjab Agricultural University, Prof Khush in 2010 set up a foundation to promote agricultural development in Punjab by enhancing agricultural research and capacity building at PAU.

Prof Khush is an adjunct professor in the department of plant sciences at UCD. He was awarded the 1996 World Food Prize for achievements in improving the global rice supply during a period of exponential population growth.

Khush has spent over 30 years directing and participating in both genetic research and delivery of rice varieties to underserved populations, and has served as the head of the Plant Breeding, Genetics and Biochemistry Division of International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines.