Asis Datta

Born: 2 February 1944

• He is an Indian biochemist, molecular biologist and genetic engineer, known for his research on genetically modified foods and food nutritional security.
• He was the founding Director of the National Institute of Plant Genome Research and is credited with the discovery of genes that assist in the extended preservation of fruits and vegetables.
• He is a recipient of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award, the highest Indian award and in the Science category, and was awarded the fourth highest civilian award of the Padma Shri, by the Government of India, in 1999.
• In 2008, he was included again in the Republic Day Honours list for the third highest civilian honour of the Padma Bhushan.
• He is an elected Fellow of all the three major Indian science academies, Indian National Science Academy (1988), National Academy of Sciences, India (1991) and Indian Academy of Sciences (1992) The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) also elected him as their Fellow in 1998.
• The University of Burdwan conferred the degree of Doctor of Science (honoris causa) on him in 2002, and Bidhan Chandra Agricultural University, Vidyasagar University, and Pandit Ravi Shankar Shukla University also awarded DSc to him in 2004, 2008 and 2017.

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