History of H R Arakeri

Dr. H.R. ARAKERI graduated in Agriculture with Honours from Bombay University (1940), obtained M.S. and Ph.D from University of Minnesota, USA (1949). He was conferred with the coveted Outstanding Achievement Award of the University of Minnesota 1978.

Starting his career in College of Agriculture, Pune, Dr. Arakeri later became the Professor of Agronomy at the College of Agriculture, Dharwar and then at Pune till 1954. Then he served as Sugarcane Specialist at Padegaon up to 1956. He joined as Deputy Director and rose to become the Director of Agriculture. He was responsible for planning and guiding the agricultural research in Mysore state with special thrust to Dry land Agriculture Research. Dr Arakeri thus held responsible positions in teaching, research and extension. In recognition of his services to the State the Karnataka Government conferred on him the "Rajyotsava Award," (1970). In recognition of his contributions and rich experience he was made a member of the National Commission on Agriculture and contributed in planning agricultural research development in the country. Dr. Arakeri became the Vice Chancellor, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore. He served as Chairman, Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board.

Dr. Arakeri received the National Award by "Farmers Association of India" for the year 1975-76. Dr. Arakeri participated in several international conferences including the Near East & South Asia Regional Land Development & Utilization Seminar, Ankara (1961); Land Use & Cultivation Planning Seminar, Berlin (1970); FAO Regional Conference for Asia & Far East, Tokyo (1974), FAO AAACU Conference on Population Education and Rural Development, Manila (1977); World Conference on Innovating Higher Education, Wingspread, Wisconsin (1978), 3rd AAACU Biennial Convention, Sardang, Malaysia (1978), World Food Conference, Iowa (1976) and Expert Consultation, FAO, Rome (1977).

He was the first Patron of the Indian Society of Agronomy from 1974 to 1979. Dr. Arakeri has to his credit the books "Agriculture in India" (3 volumes) and "Soil management in India" and more than 100 research papers.