First Woman Director for ICAR Sugarcane Breeding Institute

Dr.G. Hemaprabha, assumed charge as the Director of ICAR - Sugarcane Breeding Institute (SBI), Coimbatore on Oct 27.  On the recommendations of the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board, New Delhi, the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare appointed her as Director of the Institute up-to 2024. She was serving as Director (Acting) of ICAR-SBI, prior to this assignment.

She is the first woman Director of the 111-year old Institute.  Belonging to the 1984 batch of ARS (Agricultural Research Service), she has over 34 years of research experience in sugarcane genetic improvement.  She has so far developed 27 sugarcane varieties and registered 15 sugarcane genetic stocks. 

Notable among these are Co 0238, the variety which revolutionized sugarcane cultivation in North India and Co 11015, a recent short-duration variety for South India, which is spreading fast in Tamil Nadu.  Her contributions to genetic base broadening, database of ‘Co’ canes, molecular markers including DNA Fingerprinting of elite sugarcane clones and true seed development are significant.  

She has over 350 publications to her credit and  has received many awards and recognitions including Sir T.S.Venkatraman award, Lifetime achievement award of Society for Sugarcane Research and Promotion and the prestigious Fellowship of NAAS (National Academy of Agricultural Sciences).