Himanshu Pathak (born 2 February 1965) is an Indian agricultural scientist. He currently serves as Director General of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), headquartered in Hyderabad, India and as the President of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
Before joining ICRISAT, as its DG, he served as Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). He also served as Chairman of the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB).
Education Pathak completed his undergraduate studies in agriculture at Banaras Hindu University in 1986. He obtained his M.Sc. in Environmental Sciences in 1988 and his Ph.D. in 1992 from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute.
Awards and recognitions Honorary Member of the Indian Society of Soil Science President of the Indian Society of Soil Science, 2024 Advisory Committee Member of the Research and Innovation Circle of Hyderabad (RICH) Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship (2004–2005), Germany Silver Jubilee Commemoration Medal of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), 2016 Award of Appreciation from International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), 2023
Research Pathak’s research focuses on abiotic stress in crops and the impacts of climate change on agricultural systems. He contributed to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report. From 2011 to 2015, he served as India’s representative in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations.
Publications Selected works Pathak H, Fagodiya R.K., Singh A. (2024). Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium budget in crop production in South-Asia: regional and country trends during the last five decades. Scientific Reports 14:29136. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-77134-x.
References
External links Dr. Himanshu Pathak – ICRISAT profile Dr. Himanshu Pathak – Google Scholar profile "Breaking Barriers, Building Futures" – Just Agriculture, 2025 National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) Dr. Himanshu Pathak – RICH Telangana profile Indian National Science Academy (INSA) – Fellowship profile