AI Generated Summary
- Dr Dhaliwal has been recognised with several honours, including the Punjab Sarkar Parman Patra in 2013, the Smt Harpal Kaur Memorial Award in 2011, the Horticultural Society Fellowship in 2015 and the Hans Raj Pahwa Award for his contributions to research, teaching and extension in horticulture.
- He is expected to assume charge shortly, filling the vacancy left after Dr Satbir Singh Gosal completed his tenure on August 18, with Registrar Sukhjit Pal Singh having served as acting Vice-Chancellor in the interim.
- Dr Harvinder Singh Dhaliwal, a distinguished horticulture scientist and former senior administrator at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), has been appointed Vice-Chancellor of the university for a four-year term.
Dr Harvinder Singh Dhaliwal, a distinguished horticulture scientist and former senior administrator at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), has been appointed Vice-Chancellor of the university for a four-year term. The appointment was approved by the university’s Board of Management at its 324th Special Meeting held on October 14. He is expected to assume charge shortly, filling the vacancy left after Dr Satbir Singh Gosal completed his tenure on August 18, with Registrar Sukhjit Pal Singh having served as acting Vice-Chancellor in the interim.
A specialist in fruit science with nearly 31 years of experience, Dr Dhaliwal’s elevation comes at a critical juncture for Punjab agriculture. The state continues to grapple with the environmental and economic consequences of the long-standing wheat-paddy cycle, including rapidly depleting groundwater and shrinking farm incomes. University and agricultural circles have expressed hope that his expertise will give fresh momentum to crop diversification, with greater emphasis on fruits, vegetables and other high-value crops.
Born on May 1, 1962, in the village of Mandhali in Mansa district, Dr Dhaliwal grew up in rural Punjab. He completed his BSc Agriculture (Honours) in 1984, MSc in Pomology in 1986 and PhD in Pomology in 1991, all from PAU. He topped his master’s programme and was awarded the Sardar Bahadur Lal Singh Gold Medal. His career at the university spanned teaching, research and extension. He served as Additional Director of Research (Horticulture), Director of Extension Education, and Dean of the College of Agriculture from 2013 to 2017.
During his tenure as Dean, he secured accreditation for all undergraduate programmes of the College of Agriculture, initiated the Institute of Agriculture at Bathinda and introduced five new academic programmes. He also established a leaf analysis laboratory and a nationally accredited virus-free nursery at PAU. His research collaborations have included work on citrus improvement at the University of Florida and soil science partnerships with institutions in Australia.
Dr Dhaliwal has been recognised with several honours, including the Punjab Sarkar Parman Patra in 2013, the Smt Harpal Kaur Memorial Award in 2011, the Horticultural Society Fellowship in 2015 and the Hans Raj Pahwa Award for his contributions to research, teaching and extension in horticulture.
Welcoming the decision, Dr H.S. Kingra, president of the PAU Teachers’ Association, described it as “the best possible decision” by the Board of Management. He expressed confidence that Dr Dhaliwal’s leadership would strengthen the university’s role in research, education and extension while guiding Punjab towards a more sustainable and profitable agricultural model.
As PAU’s new Vice-Chancellor, Dr Dhaliwal is expected to prioritise farmer-centric research and practical solutions that help the state move beyond monoculture while protecting its water resources and farm livelihoods.
