Breaking:Dr. Harvinder Singh Dhaliwal appointed Vice-Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU)
He belongs to village Mandhali in Mansa Disitrict of Punjab.
Zinnia Balli/ Babushahi Network
Ludhiana/ Chandigarh, October 14, 2026: Dr. Harvinder Singh Dhaliwal has been appointed Vice-Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, for a term of four years.He is a retired Professor of PAU.
The appointment was approved by the university’s Board of Management at its 324th Special Meeting held on October 14, 2026. His tenure will begin from the date he assumes charge of the post.
He belongs to village Mandhali in Mansa Disitrict of Punjab.
S Sukhjit Pal Singh IAS registrar PAU, Dr T S Riar Estate Officer ,Dr H S Kingra PRESIDENT PAUTA, Sardar Baldev Singh Walia
President Non Teaching PAU and Deans and Directors welcomed the appointment of Dr Dhaliwal as PAU VC.
Brief Bio-data of Dr Harvinder Singh Dhaliwal
Academic qualifications
Dr Harvinder Singh Dhaliwal, born on May 1, 1962, has an outstanding academic record and was awarded a Gold Medal, Merit Certificate (in M.Sc.) and Merit Scholarship (in B.Sc.); Merit Fellowship (in M.Sc. and Ph.D.).
Employment and Administrative Experience
He has about 31 years of experience as an agricultural scientist and has international exposure from conducting advanced research at the University of Florida on citrus improvement. His field of specialization is Horticulture (Fruit Science), which is the need of the hour for diversification in Punjab agriculture. He has diversified administrative experience in all three mandated areas of PAU: teaching (as Dean, College of Agriculture, 2013–2017), research (as Additional Director Research – Horticulture) and extension (as Director Extension Education).
Dr Dhaliwal has strong connections with international scientists and established collaborations with the University of Florida, USA; Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia; and the University of Maine, Presque Isle, Maine, USA, for higher academic research in citrus and soil science. He has successfully completed several tasks as Convenor or Member of the National Level ICAR’s Fifth Deans’ Committee and a committee to work out the minimum standards of higher agricultural education (MSHAE).
Research
Dr Dhaliwal is a team player and has given 28 recommendations in the PAU Package of Practices, comprising two new crops (banana and aonla) and 11 fruit varieties, including Low Seeded Kinnow (PAU Kinnow-1). He handled six research projects as PI and Co-PI and motivated faculty to submit 16 competitive research grant projects, including seven approved by the UGC. He has published 189 publications, including 81 research papers in refereed journals of national and international repute. He established a state-of-the-art Leaf Analysis Lab and a nationally accredited Virus-Free Nursery at PAU.
Teaching
Dr Dhaliwal taught undergraduate and postgraduate courses (155 credit hours) and guided 15 postgraduate students. As Dean of Agriculture, he secured accreditation for all graduate programmes of the College of Agriculture, PAU. He initiated the Institute of Agriculture, Bathinda; started five need-based academic programmes; enhanced intake capacity of four undergraduate and seven postgraduate programmes; and instituted seven new medals/fellowships. During his Deanship, 87 college graduates were admitted to foreign universities, 152 qualified for NET, 89 for ICAR Fellowships, nine joined ICAR and 11 cleared GATE. He operationalized the recommendations of ICAR’s Fifth Deans’ Committee and established the Competitive Examination Guidance and Counselling Cell in the College of Agriculture.
Extension Education
Under the Third Farmer Outreach Pillar of the PAU Knowledge Triangle, as Director Extension Education (2014), Dr Dhaliwal was involved in organizing 11 Kisan Melas, three Kisan Divas, six workshops, 155 field days, 69 adaptive research trials, 780 training camps and 278 vocational trainings. Born and brought up in a rural area of Mansa district, he has a strong connection with farmers and rural communities.
Awards
Dr Dhaliwal has received the Punjab Sarkar Praman Patra (2013), in recognition of exemplary service in science and technology; Fellow of The Horticultural Society (2015), for significant contributions to horticulture; Hans Raj Pahwa Award (2012–13), for commendable research, teaching and extension work in horticulture; and Smt. Harpal Kaur Memorial Award (2011), for commendable contribution to fruit science.