Dr.Anil Kumar Srivastava:Clone Man of India.
During my active association with Intas Animal Health Division, I met several Veterinary Scientists, Academicians, Surgeons, and Practitioners from 1997 to 2009. During this process, I met a thorough gentle, soft-spoken, knowledgeable, disciplined Pharmacologist and toxicologist, 3 times at Ludhiana, 2 times at Jammu, and once at NDRI Karnal. Here I talk about a professional who had been a DAAD fellow, Dr. Anil Kumar Srivastava and I call him as a non-controversial “Nobel Vet”.
I take pride to narrate his success story for information and benefit of the Veterinary fraternity and my Facebook friends.
Born in Varanasi, India on 01 August 1957, Anil Kumar Srivastava joined Veterinary College Mathura in 1975 for his B.V.Sc & A.H. and continued there to complete M.V.Sc in Pharmacology and Toxicology till 1981 before joining Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana, for his Ph.D. which he completed in 1984. In 1988-90 he went to GSF Institute of Toxicology, München, Germany under German Academic Exchange programme (DAAD).
Before proceeding for DAAD fellowship, Dr. Anil Kumar Srivastava served as Assistant Professor (1984-87), & Associate Professor (1987-95) at College of Veterinary Sciences, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana and became the University Professor on returning from Germany in 1994. With his track record and hard work, he became Head of the Division of Pharmacology & Toxicology (1997-2004) and finally got elevated as Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences & Animal Husbandry, Sher-e- Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology, R.S. Pura, Jammu (2004- 2006) There was no ‘Full Stop’ in his journey and became Director Resident Instructions-cum-Dean, Postgraduate Studies, SKUAST-Jammu (2006-2008). His Technical acumen and administrative ability brought him to Karnal as Director & Vice-Chancellor, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal (2008-17) joining the fleet of earlier Veterans like Dr. K.K. Ayya, Dr. N.N. Dastur, Dr. Sunderasan, Dr. R. Nagarcenkar at NDRI Karnal. I am told that Dr. Anil Kumar was instrumental in introducing M.V.Sc at NDRI. At the age of 60 in 2017, he occupied the seat of Member/ and Chairman, Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board which he is continuing till date.
Awards/Honours:
Presently, Prof. Srivastava is Vice President of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), President National Academy of Dairy Science (India), and Patron of Indian Dairy Association. He is President, Association of Mastitis, and President of Probiotic Association of India. Earlier, Prof. Srivastava was Secretary, NAAS, and also the President, Indian Society of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology. He was also Chairman Indian Dairy Association (NZ); Chairman, FAD 19, Bureau of Indian Standard Committee, BIS, Govt. of India. Dr. Srivastava was Founder Authority Member of “Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI)” and member of International Dairy Federation.
Prof. Srivastava is a distinguished Member of National Academy of Sciences, fellow of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, fellow of National Academy of Dairy Sciences and fellow of National Academy of Veterinary Sciences, fellow of National Academy of Biological Sciences, fellow of Punjab Academy of Sciences, and fellow of Uttar Pradesh Academy of Agricultural Sciences. He is also fellow of 10 scientific societies. He is Member, Board of the Governing Council of “Agriculture Skill Council of India”, Ministry of Skill Development. He is Member, Governing Board of National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, DBT, Govt. of India; Member, Advisory Committee of Indian Institute of Packaging, Ministry of Commerce and Industries, Govt. of India and Chairman R&D Committee of Ministry of Food Processing Industries, GoI, New Delhi. He is Trustee Member, Board of Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences, New Delhi. Earlier, Prof. Srivastava has also served as Secretary, Vice President and President of Indian Agricultural Universities Vice-Chancellors Association, Chairman, DBT Task Force on “Biotechnological Approaches for Food and Nutritional Security: and also, Task Force on “Animal Biotechnology-I”. He was founder Chief Editor of Indian Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology.
He has been decorated with numerous prestigious awards and honours including D.Sc. (Honoris Causa) from Veterinary University, Jabalpur and Veterinary University, Mathura, ICAR Jawaharlal Nehru Award; International NOCIL Award; National Alarsin Awards in 1987-88 and 1999-2000; ASET Gold Medal, German Academic Exchange Award, Gold Medals of Indian Science Congress Association, Dr. B.D. Garg Outstanding Pharmacologist Award-2018, National Education Award 2016, and many more. He has been conferred the “Life Time Achievement Award” by the Indian Society for the Study of Reproduction and Fertility, Society for Community Mobilization for Sustainable Development, Indian Society of Buffalo Development, and CLFMA India. He has also received the “Chellappa Memorial Oration Award” Mansinhbhai Memorial Oration Award, Dr. Sunderasan Memorial Award, Dr. M. Sabir Oration Award, Prof. S.C. Mandal Memorial Oration Award and “Dr. Rao Memorial Oration Award” and Prof. S. Kannaiyan Memorial Award-2019, by National Academy of Biological Sciences.
Prof. Srivastava was chairman of the working group of Planning Commission on “Animal Husbandry and Dairying” for preparation of XIIth Five Year Plan and also chairman of the group for Mid Term Evaluation of XIth Five Year Plan. He led the DST-India delegation to New Zealand for the identification of collaborative research on “Food and Agriculture” between India and New Zealand. He also represented India and was a Member of the Indian scientific delegation to Kansas, USA, Ghent, Belgium, Dubai, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Nairobi, UK, Australia and New Zealand, Bangkok, Michigan State University, USA, and many more countries.
Dr. Srivastava was instrumental to establish the NABARD Professor Chair, BPD Unit, and TBI Unit at NDRI Karnal. He brought Sardar Patel Outstanding ICAR Institute Award to NDRI in 2014. In 2016, under his leadership, NDRI was ranked No. 1 Agricultural University of India, which continued in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Under his leadership, NDRI produced the world’s first cloned buffalo calf (Garima). Prof. Srivastava delivered more than 15 convocation addresses of Agriculture and Veterinary Universities. He established the National Academy of Dairy Sciences and Probiotic Association of India. He developed more than 30 international and national linkages for higher education & research.
Keynote address during Convocation by “Missileman” Hon. President of India Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Visit by Hon. Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi and eminent Scientists like Dr.S. Swaminathan, speak the caliber and hard work put by Dr. Srivastava in developing the scientific standard of NDRI Karnal.
Dr. Srivastava has more than 250 research papers in peer-reviewed International/National Journals in his credit. He has authored 7 books and edited 8 books. He has also published 6 policy papers and 11 status papers. His major areas of research interest are pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, computation of dosage regimen, insecticide toxicology, probiotics, and dairy science.
By Dr.AP Mangani.
Former VP, Marketing, Animal Health,Intazar Pharmaceutical.
