Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP)

Dr. Shekara is a leading Professional in the field of Agriculture with his more than three decades of service towards integrated rural development especially in the areas namely Agricultural Extension Management, Agri-Entrepreneurship Development, Agricultural Marketing Management and Public-Private-Partnership. Dr. Shekara headed three premier National Institutions in India which work for the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India. He served as Director General of CCS National Institute of Agricultural Marketing (CCS NIAM), Director General (In-charge) of National Institute of Plant Health Management (NIPHM) and Director General of National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE). As Chief Executive of these Institutions, he lead very important International and National schemes, programs and policy interventions for development of Agriculture through Training, Research, Consultancy, Policy Advocacy, Education, International Programmes, Implementation of Govt. of India Schemes, Agripreneurship Development, Agri. Startups Promotion, Documentation and Dissemination in Agriculture Development. Dr. P. Chandra Shekara received numerous accolades and recognition for his outstanding achievements worth mentioning – “Extension Leadership Award (2023) in the International Extension Education Conference 2023 (IEEC 2023); “NITTE-Karnataka Bank Limited Life Time Achievement Award-2019 for driving Agri-entrepreneurship Movement in India” and etc. Dr. Shekara holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Extension awarded from University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore in 1999 with a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 9.57 /10.00 with following Three Gold Medals: Recipient of University of Agricultural Sciences Gold Medal for Securing Highest Grade Point. Recipient of Dr. K.A. Jalihal Gold Medal for Best Ph.D., Student in Agricultural Extension. Recipient of Dr. R. Dwarakinath, Former Vice-Chancellor Gold Medal for Best PhD. Student in Agricultural Extension. His Doctoral Research Thesis contributed an “Agricultural Extension Strategy for the Management of Coffee Industry in India”. Dr. Shekara obtained a Post-Graduate Degree - M.Sc. in Agricultural Extension, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore in 1989 and completed his Bachelor’s Degree - B.Sc., (Agriculture) from same University in 1987. Dr. P. Chandra Shekara said that he is looking forward to lead the CIRDAP Secretariat by continuing on the work his predecessors have done blending with his experiences and expertise’s to take CIRDAP further into the future and to its vision. He also added that, he will make the Organization ready for new challenges and strengthened the role for Integrated Rural Development in Asia and the Pacific region. Dr. Shekara will serve CIRDAP from 2024 to 2028.