Dr. Raj Paroda, former Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) & Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Government of India, holds a unique perspective as an accomplished scientist, able research administrator and development practitioner. He is well known for modernization and strengthening of the national agricultural research system (NARS) in India as well as in many countries. Government of India has recognized his contributions to the advancement of agriculture by bestowing on him the prestigious national Padma Bhusan Award. He is recipient of several awards and recognitions - Rafi Ahmad Kidwai Prize, ICAR Team Research Award, FICCI Award, Om Prakash Bhasin Award, BP Pal Gold Medal, Borlaug Award, Mahendra Shiromani Award, Dr. AB Joshi Award and US Awasthi IFFCO Award. Dr. Paroda had been the founder chairman of Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR) based at FAO, Rome. He also served as President of the Indian Science Congress and President of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Seventeen universities have awarded him D.Sc. (Honoris Causa) degree including Ohio State University and Indian Agricultural Research Institute. He is Fellow of all science academies in India, Third World Academy of Sciences, Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and Honorary Member of American Society of Crop Science and American Society of Agronomy. He also served for more than two decades as Executive Secretary of Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI), FAO, Bangkok. Till recently, Dr. Paroda worked as Chairman, Farmers Commission of Haryana. He had also served on ACIAR, CABI and WMO Advisory Committees, was Chairman of Board of Trustees of ICRISAT and member of finance committee of CGIAR. He is a member of CGIAR-SIMEC and Board Director of International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC). Currently, he is the Founder Chairman of the Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences (TAAS), New Delhi.