Dr. R. Pandiselvam is a Senior Scientist (Agricultural Engineering) at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi. He received his B.Tech. in Agricultural Engineering (2010) and M.Tech. in Agricultural Processing & Food Engineering (2012) from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore. He completed his Ph.D. from TNAU in 2015 and joined ICAR in 2016 as a Scientist at the ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Kasaragod, Kerala. During his tenure at CPCRI (2016–2024), Dr. Pandiselvam significantly contributed to the design and development of several post-harvest technologies including a minimal processing machine for tender coconut, a continuous-type coconut testa removing machine, a tender coconut cutting machine, and preservation protocols for trimmed tender coconut. He was also involved in the development and commercialization of value-added coconut-based food products such as Kalpa Krunch, Frozen Coconut Delicacy, and Matured Coconut Water-Based Beverages, benefitting over 40 entrepreneurs. He has trained more than 8,000stakeholders through demonstrations and capacity-building programs. Dr. Pandiselvam has authored over 100 research and review articles in reputed journals, co-authored 7 books and 67 book chapters, and serves on editorial boards of several international journals. His achievements have been recognized with prestigious awards, including the NAAS Young Scientist Award (2020), NAAS Associate (2021), ISAE Distinguished Service Award (2020), and inclusion in the World’s Top 2% Scientists list by Stanford University & Elsevier. Recently, he was honored with the Rashtriya Krishi Vigyan Puraskar 2025– Young Scientist Award for his outstanding contributions to agricultural engineering and technology dissemination.Vandana Chaudhary, Ph.D. is presently working as Assistant Professor in Department of Dairy Technology, College of Dairy Science and Technology, LUVAS, Hisar. She had also worked with ITC (Ready to Eat) Food Division, Gurgaon and Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar. Dr. Chaudhary completed her Ph.D in Food Technology at Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar, Haryana (India) and her post graduate studies in Food Science and Technology from Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agriculture University, Hisar. Her research interests lie in the area of dairy processing, sustainable packaging solutions, cereals, proteins, functional foods and development of new products. She has published more than 60 research papers/book chapters in national &international journals/books. She has received projects from RKVY, National Livestock Mission and HLDB. She is an active member of Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (AFSTI), Mysore, India. Dr. Priyanka Kajla is actively engaged in teaching & research in the field of food technology. Dr Kajla is presently serving as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Food Technology, at Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology, Hisar. She completed her doctorate in 2016 from Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology in Food Technology, Hisar. Dr. Kajla post-graduated from Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agriculture University, Hisar. Her area of specialization includes oilseed processing, functional foods, and food packaging. She has published more than 30 research/review articles in journals of national & international repute and more than 20 book chapters. She is a life member of the prestigious Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (AFSTI), Mysore, India.
