Agriculture is one of the largest sources of livelihoods in India. But environmental stressors, like temperature, humidity, soil pH, and pests, can gravely hamper the growth and development of crops. Each environmental stressor could lead to morphological, physiological, biochemical, molecular and cellular changes in plants that enable them to survive. A leading expert in India, Dr. Paramjit Khurana, has made major contributions to plant biotechnology, molecular biology and plant genomics, increasing stress tolerance in crops and sustainable agriculture.

Born on August 15th in 1956, Paramjit attended the Government Girls High School, Jheel, Khurenja in Delhi. She finished high school in 1972, receiving the Best Student Award. With an interest in science, she attended the University of Delhi for Botany, completing her BSc in 1975 and receiving the National Merit Award. She continued her studies earing her Master of Sciences (MSc) in 1977 and receiving the National Merit Award a second time.

After her MSc., Paramjit enrolled and completed her Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) in 1978 from the University of Delhi. She then followed this with her PhD in Botany, graduating in 1983. She started her career at University of Delhi, working in the Unit for Plant Cell and Molecular Biology Unit from 1983–1984.

In 1984, Paramjit took on a position as a lecturer teaching plant molecular biology, plant genetics, cell biology and plant physiology at the Plant Biology Department at the S.G.T.B. Khalsa College. In 1987, Paramjit started a Research Associate position at the Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA. For the next year, Paramjit studied the symbiotic relationship of legumes and the bacteria, Rhizobium. Her work shed light on the cell-to-cell communication and the role of pectin in mediating the cell wall porosity.

After returning from USA, Paramjit rejoined the University of Delhi in the Department of Plant Molecular Biology, first as a lecturer (1989–90), then an associate professor (1990–98), and finally as a professor (1998 to date). She even headed the department from 2004–07 and again in 2016–19.

Paramjit’s work has included the genetic transformation of Indian wheat for resistance against cereal cyst nematode and environmental stress tolerance, developing mulberry transgenics capable of withstanding drought conditions, developing genetic engineering techniques for increasing stress tolerance in crops and sustainable agriculture. Her major contribution has been to develop all-weather crops which would enable rise of the India’s productivity several fold.

The list of awards and accolades that Paramjit has accumulated over her career is impressive. She’s held a number of Fellow positions including at the National Academy of Sciences, India (2003), at the Indian Academy of Sciences (2010), at the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (2014), and at The World Academy of Sciences, Trieste, Italy, 2016. She also holds the Prof. J.C. Bose Fellowship by the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India from 2012–17 and a second one from 2017–22.

She is a member of various Academic and Selection Committees of various universities. Member of various Advisory Committees or Task Forces of Department of Science & Technology, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, University Grants Commissions and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. She is also a member of the Editorial Board of a few Indian Journals and a Life Member, Third World Organization for Women in Science, Italy.

There is also no shortage of list of awards that Paramjit has earned. Paramjit is the recipient of the ‘Certificate of Honour’ awarded by the Gantavaya Sansthan on International Women’s Day (2011), the Professor Archana Sharma Memorial Award of the Indian Science Congress Association in 2011–2012, the Shri Ranjan Memorial Lecture Award by the National Academy of Sciences India in 2014, the Street Memorial Lecture Award 2013–2014 by the Plant Tissue Culture Association (India), and most recently Prof. Archana Sharma Memorial Lecture Award (2019) by The National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI).

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