The BOM cleared the name of Dr P S Minhas as Director Research PAU, Dr Neelam Grewal as Dean, College of Home Science, and Dr M S Aulakh as Dean, College of Agriculture.

A member of the Board who did not want to be identified said, “We have urged the state government to help us out of the pension crunch as soon as possible. Also, the issue of the state government demanding PAU’s land was discussed in detail. The conclusion that we have reached is that PAU should resist this decision of the state government as far as it can. But if the state government persists, then PAU should demand not only land in favour of land, but also displacement compensation for its staff, its laboratories and research fields.”

According to PAU Registrar Dr R K Mahay, Dr PS Minhas will take over as Director Research. He is currently working as Assistant Director General, Irrigation Water Management (ICAR). He has previously worked in the area of soil water plant interactions in saline environment and the development of management strategies for judicious use of low quality water.

He coordinated the operational research programme on saline irrigation techniques, and has received prestigious awards including an award by IARI (1997-98), Hari Om Ashram Trust Award by ICAR (2002-03), CSSEI Excellence Award on Soil Salinity and Water Management by CSSRI, Karnal (2004). He has been honoured with the fellowship of NAAS, New Delhi (2001) and Indian Society of Soil Sciences (2002). Dr Minhas has 158 publications to his credit. He has earlier served as Scientist S-I, S-II/Senior Scientist, Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi and Project Coordinator CSSRI, Karnal.

Dr Milkha Singh Aulakh, Additional Director of Research (Agriculture), has been appointed as Dean, College of Agriculture. Dr Aulakh has worked on different aspects of fertilizer sources. He has been associated with research leading to field methodology for measuring denitrification losses, nitrous oxides and methane emission in crops, and has developed integrated nutrient management for rice-wheat system.

Dr Aulakh has served PAU in various capacities as Research Assistant, Assistant Soil Chemist, Soil Chemist and Senior Soil Chemist. He has been awarded with Fulbright Research and Lecturing Award (CIES), International Crop Nutrition Award by DIA France, Pierre Becker Memorial Award (FIBS, UK), TSI-FAI Award by Sulphur Institute, USA, IMPHOS-FAI Award, Morocco, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Memorial Prize (2001-2002), Hari Om Ashram Trust Award, FAI Silver Jubilee Award, NFL Award, Plaque by Government of India, Dhiru Morarji Memorial Award (FAI), IPNI Award and he has been Editor of the Journal, Biology and Fertility of Soils. Dr. Aulakh has 133 publications to his credit.

Dr Neelam Grewal has been appointed as Dean, College of Home Science. She has served PAU as Assistant Scientist, Associate Professor, Professor and Head of the Department of Clothing and Textiles. She has also worked on various aspects of clothing and textiles, handled various research projects and strengthened linkages with industry/private sector. She is co-inventor of the first patent filed by PAU. She has 88 publications to her credit.