FORMER DIRECTORS

Prof. Dr. Harnek Singh Sohi obtained his Ph.D. from IARI, New-Delhi in 1966  Dr. Sohi joined NCMRT (now DMR) as Officer on Special Duty on 19.07.1984 and was subsequently selected as the 1st  regular Director. He served the Mushroom Centre from 27.09.1986 to 28.02.1990. Dr. Sohi worked on fungal diseases of fruits, vegetables and several ornamental crops prior to his joining at DMR Solan.  Dr. Sohi guided several M.Sc. and Ph.D. students and published one book and around 300 research papers in national and international Journals. He served several scientific societies and occupied key position as President, Indian Phytopathological Society 1992, Indian Society of Mycology, Madras 1994 and Indian Mushroom growers Association 1999-2007.  Dr. Sohi was awarded Fellow of Indian National Science Academy (FNA), Indian Academy of Horticulture, Society of Plant Pathologist and National Academy of Agricultural Sciences. At DMR, Solan Dr. Sohi identified several new species of fleshy fungi and also identified many fungal competitors and pathogens of different mushrooms.

Prior to the joining of Dr. H. S. Sohi, the Centre functioned under the control of Dr. N.M. Nayar, Director CPRI, Shimla.  After retirement of Dr. H. S. Sohi,  Dr. S. R. Sharma acted as Director from 1st March, 1990 to 18th October, 1994 and then from 1st April, 2002 to 30th July, 2002. Dr. H. S. Sohi passed away on 11.02.2007.

Dr. Rabindra Nath Verma obtained his M.Sc.Botany (Cytogenetics and Plant Breeding) degree from Patna University, Patna in 1961 and Ph.D in 1973 from Bhagalpur University. He started his professional carrier as Lecturer in Botany at Deoghar College, Deoghar of Bhagalpur University in 1962.  He co-authored a  book "Physiology of Fungi.  He joined ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region in 1975 as Senior Scientist (Plant Pathology) and was inducted in the Agricultural Research Service of ICAR the same year as Scientist S-2 ( Pl. Path.).  In 1979, he attended a 4-months training in "Genetic Evaluation and Utilization of Rice" at the International Rice Research Institute, Manila.  In 1981, he was selected as Scientist S-3 and HOD of  Plant Pathology Division at ICAR Research Complex HQrs. at Shillong, where he continued as Principal Scientist from 1986 to 1992. From 1992 August to October 1994, he served at the ICAR HQrs in the Education Division as Principal Scientist (Education), before being selected as the Director of  National Centre for Mushroom Research & Training (later named as NRCM), Solan, where he served as Director from 19.10.1994 to 31.03.2002. Dr. R. N. Verma passed away on 25.04.2020.

Dr. R.P. Tewari did his M.Sc. (1968) and Ph.D. (1974) in Botany from the University of Gorakhpur.  He was selected in the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bangalore, which remained the alma mateur till 2002.  He headed the Division of Plant Pathology and PGR, IIHR, Bangalore for a period of six years.  Dr. Tewari not only established a full-fledged mushroom laboratory in the IIHR, but also became synonymous with mushrooms in South India.  Besides conducting research on varied aspects of different mushrooms, he specially excelled in the transfer of technology of mushroom production.  He received advanced training in the field of mushroom production technology from INRA, France and was Coordinator of Indo-Dutch Project in India.  He served as International Consultant to FAO under Integrated Horticulture and Nutrition Development Project in Bangladesh during 2001-2006 where he developed Spawn Laboratory and training facilities in 15 Centres including Chitgaon Hill Tracks.  He served as Director National Research Centre for Mushroom form July, 2002 to 31st December 2008.  During his tenure he  modernized the Centre by improving infrastructure and introducing Hi-tech equipments.

Dr. R. P. Tewari
House No. 56, SFC
Bangalore - 560106 (Karnataka)
Email. : rptewari@gmail.com

Dr. Manjit Singh obtained his M.Sc. and Ph.D. degree from Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana.  In 1976 he started his scientific career as Scientist in the first batch of Agricultural Research Service of ICAR.  After serving Central Potato Research Institute from 1976 to 1983, he joined NCMRT ( now DMR), Solan on 6th  March, 1984 and  worked at the Centre till 6th Jan, 1988. During his short stay at this centre he developed three varieties of white button mushroom (including  one hybrid). 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. He joined as Director DMR on 01.01.2009. 

ICAR had renewed the appointment tenure of Dr. Manjit Singh as Director of Directorate  of Mushroom Research, Solan upto 31.03.2015. He superannuated on 31.03.2015 (A.N.). He joined as Mushroom Advisor, Government of Punjab, India in February 2016.

Dr Manjit Singh was General Secretary, World Society of Mushroom Biology and Mushroom Products (WSMBMP) and presently is Vice President of this Society. 

Dr Manjit Singh
House No. 1064, Sector 77
SAS Nagar, Mohali (Pb) 140308
Mobile : 09418030451, 08198090617
Email :manjitbhandal122@gmail.com