While serving as the Secretary in the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India, Agarwal was also an ex-officio member of the ICRISAT Governing Board from 2018 to 2022.
Sanjay Agarwal from the Indian Administrative Service, who is currently the Chair of the Government of India’s Committee on Minimum Support Price, joins ICRISAT as its new Assistant Director General. Director General of ICRISAT Dr Jacqueline Hughes has officially welcomed Sanjay Agarwal who commenced as Assistant Director General.
While serving as the Secretary in the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India, Agarwal was also an ex-officio member of the ICRISAT Governing Board from 2018 to 2022. Agarwal is a 1984-batch Indian Administrative Service officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre. He has over 37 years of experience in administration and public policy including in the areas of women and children’s development, rural cooperatives, handicrafts/textiles, agricultural research, infrastructure, extension and education in various capacities with the State Government of Uttar Pradesh and the Central Government.
“I am pleased to announce that Sanjay Agarwal has joined ICRISAT as the Assistant Director General. He will be based in New Delhi and lead country relations and business affairs and will have a broader portfolio of activities to support ICRISAT globally,” said Dr Hughes.
“I deem it a privilege to be a part of ICRISAT as it ventures into new territory to improve dryland agri-food systems. I am looking forward to contributing to its vision and mission as an autonomous non-profit international organization, and in strengthening its identity as a global leader in dryland agriculture,” said Agarwal.
ICRISAT’s leadership has warmly welcomed the appointment and has acknowledged Agarwal’s immense contribution to not only the Institute but for being instrumental in delivering India’s National Year of Millets 2018 – a move which has contributed to 2023 being designated as the International Year of Millets in 2023 by the United Nations.
