Vision & Genesis

SHRD Founder’s Message

"It gives me immense pleasure to welcome you to the official website of the Society for Horticultural Research and Development (SHRD), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. The SHRD came into existence on 22 May 2013 and subsequently registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860."

The primitive idea of the SHRD was nurtured by Prof. P. L. Saroj, Dr. Gautam Kalloo, Dr. T. Janakiram, Dr. S. K. Singh, Dr. Vishal Nath, Dr. Arvind Kumar Singh, Dr. A. K. Srivastava, Dr. Balraj Singh, Dr. B. S. Tomar, Dr. Parveen K. Singh, etc. All of them encouraged me to initiate a research journal under the aegis of the society. With moral support and continued back-up, the Society was established successfully and continued to grow up from strength to strength over the years.

The Society is fully committed to the furtherance of all research and developmental activities, including education in all branches of horticultural sciences. The main aim of the society is to spread horticultural science among all stakeholders, consisting of students, scientists, researchers, research managers, policy-makers, farmers, entrepreneurs, etc. who can reconcile horticultural science as an organised industry. The Society has grown to a different stature and provided a vibrant platform for research under the National Agricultural Research System, globally the biggest arena, India is blessed with.

The decision to start a research journal was a milestone action of the society, with the result, the journal known as Current Horticulture, took its origin into reality. The journal is dedicated towards the advancement of Horticultural Science. The Journal has the NAAS scoring of 4.62. The objectives of the Current Horticulture are: advancement of basic and fundamental research in horticultural science amongst horticulturists, and to promote scientific exchange and interaction amongst researchers in a mission-mode module.

The SHRD entered into a new role by convening its maiden academic events, i.e. the Indian Horticulture Summit in 2020 (first), in 2022 (second), in 2024 (third) and the fourth in 2026. All the Summits had been very successful mega events in the history of horticultural research and development across the world.

Recognising the labour-yielding significant contribution of horticulturists in various branches of horticultural science, the Society instituted different awards.

Thus, I sincerely hope that with these developments and an excellent team, the Society will gain more popularity and distinction in the years ahead.

SD

Dr. Som Dutt

Founder & Managing Editor, SHRD
Former Editor, Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences and Indian Horticulture · ICAR-DKMA, New Delhi
Origins

Birth of the SHRD

The Society for Horticultural Research and Development (SHRD), Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh, India), came into existence on May 22, 2013 and subsequently registered under the Indian legislation, Societies Registration Act, 1860. The Society is fully committed to the furtherance of all research and developmental activities, including education in all branches of horticultural sciences.

The society has grown to a different stature and provided a vibrant platform for research under the National Agricultural Research System, globally the biggest arena, India is blessed with.

The Aims and Objectives of the Society are:

  • To cultivate and promote research, education and development of horticultural science and allied branches.
  • To recognize and support excellence achieved in scientific research and development in the field of horticulture by individual scientists, inter-disciplinary teams, recognized institutions, learned societies and industry.
  • Promote contact and co-operation among R & D personnel working in different institutions and areas (including farmers/growers, entrepreneurs and industry).
  • To disseminate scientific knowledge and technical know-how on all horticultural crops and their different aspects by holding workshops, seminars, symposia, conferences, etc. and publishing their proceedings.
  • Secure and manage funds and endowments for the promotion of horticultural science among all stakeholders.

The decision to start a research journal was a milestone decision of the society, with the result, the journal popularly known as Current Horticulture, took its origin into reality. The journal is dedicated towards the advancement of Horticultural Science, published with a frequency of Quarterly (4 Issues per year) under Open Access. The Journal got the NAAS rating of 4.62, it is going to be enhanced very soon.

The objectives of the Current Horticulture are: advancement of basic and fundamental research in horticultural science amongst horticulturists, and to promote scientific exchange and interaction amongst researchers in a mission-mode module.

The SHRD entered into a new role by convening its maiden academic events, The Indian Horticulture Summit cum International Conference organizing biennially sponsored by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, and other Government scientific organizations.

The first edition the Indian Horticulture Summit-2020, held at the Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh (India), followed by 2nd Indian Horticulture Summit-2022 at the Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat and 3rd Indian Horticulture Summit-2024 on Technological Intervention for Boosting Horticultural Production held at Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. The Summits have been grand success in the dissemination of horticultural science among stakeholders across the country.

Governance

Rules and Bylaws

The Society functions under a comprehensive framework of rules and bylaws drafted in accordance with the Societies Registration Act, 1860. These governing documents define the structure, membership categories, election procedures for office bearers, financial management, and the conduct of academic programmes.

Key provisions include:

  • Membership classification: Life Member, Annual Member, Honorary Fellow, and Fellow
  • Executive Council composition and tenure
  • Journal editorial board appointment process
  • Award nomination, screening and selection protocols
  • Financial audit and annual general meeting mandates
Download Constitution (PDF)
Institutional Leadership & Patrons

SHRD Stakeholders

Eminent agricultural leaders, research directors, and policy makers guiding the Society for Horticultural Research and Development (SHRD) across premier national institutions and universities:

GK
Chief Patron

Dr. Gautam Kalloo

Formerly DDG (Hort. Sci.), ICAR, New Delhi, India
SK
ICAR Leadership

Dr. S. K. Singh

DDG (Hort. Sci.), ICAR, New Delhi, India
PK
Government of India

Dr. Prabhat Kumar

Hort. Commissioner, Government of India, New Delhi, India
TJ
Academic Leadership

Dr. T. Janakiram

Formerly Vice-Chancellor, Dr Y S R Hort. Univ., Andhra Pradesh, India
BS
Academic Leadership

Dr. Balraj Singh

Formerly Vice-Chancellor, SKN Agric. Univ., Jobner, Rajasthan, India
SP
ICAR Leadership

Dr. Sudhakar Pandey

ADG (Hort. Sci.), ICAR, New Delhi, India
VP
ICAR Leadership

Dr. V. B. Patel

ADG (Hort. Sci.), ICAR, New Delhi, India
PS
Institute Head

Dr. P. L. Saroj

Head, ICAR-CISH, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
RK
Institute Director

Dr. Rajesh Kumar

Director, ICAR-IIVR, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
VN
Institute Head

Dr. Vishal Nath

Head, ICAR-IARI, Hazaribag, Jharkhand, India
SR
Former Director

Dr. Shailendra Rajan

Formerly Director, ICAR-CISH, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
MD
Institute Director

Dr. Manish Das

Director, ICAR-DMAPR, Anand, Gujarat, India
BT
Former Division Head

Dr. B. S. Tomar

Formerly Head, Division of Vegetable Sci., ICAR-IARI, New Delhi, India
PS
Division Head

Dr. Praveen Kumar Singh

Head, Division of Germplasm Evaluation, ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi, India
Leadership

Office Bearers

The Society is governed by an elected Executive Council comprising distinguished scientists and horticultural professionals from across India.

President

Head of Society

Leads the Executive Council and represents SHRD at national and international forums.

Vice President

Deputy Head

Assists the President and oversees specific portfolios including research coordination.

Secretary

Chief Executive

Manages day-to-day operations, publications, summit organisation and member services.

Message

From the President's Desk

"The Society for Horticultural Research and Development stands committed to advancing horticultural science through rigorous research, meaningful collaboration, and recognition of excellence. Our journey since 2013 reflects the collective endeavour of India's finest horticultural minds."

The President's message reflects the vision of SHRD as a catalyst for transformative research in horticulture. Under this leadership, the Society has expanded its membership base, strengthened the Current Horticulture journal, and successfully organised three editions of the Indian Horticulture Summit.

Message

From the Vice President's Desk

"Our focus remains on bridging the gap between laboratory research and field application. SHRD provides the platform where scientists, industry and farming communities converge for practical solutions."

The Vice President oversees research coordination and industry liaison, ensuring that SHRD's academic programmes remain relevant to the evolving needs of Indian horticulture.

Message

From the Secretary's Desk

"As Secretary, I am honoured to serve a society that places scientific integrity at the core of its mission. From managing our peer-reviewed journal to organising the biennial summit, every activity is designed to elevate horticultural research."

The Secretary manages the Secretariat at Ghaziabad and coordinates all operational aspects including membership, publications, events and awards.