Former Vice Chancellor, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidhyapeeth, Rahuri

Dr. Rajaram Deshmukh (born on August 01, 1945) former Vice Chancellor, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, Dist. Ahmednagar (2005-10), earlier worked in various capacities including Director of Research at MPKV, Rahuri, (1969-2002) and as the Chief General Manager at Deepak Fertilizers and Petrochemicals Ltd., Pune (2002-05). Later he worked as the Director, Agricultural Sciences and Technology at the Vasantdada Sugar Institute, Manjari, Pune (1010-12) and as an Advisor for Dryland Farming Mission of the Department of Agriculture, Government of Maharashtra (2012-15). Dr. Deshmukh completed his post-graduation in Cytogenetics and Plant breeding from Pune University (1968), Ph. D. from MPKV, Rahuri, (1980) and worked as the visiting scientist at the Queensland University, Brisbane, Australia (1992).

Dr. Deshmukh implemented various national and international research projects and developed several improved varieties of pulse crops which were released at state and national level. He worked on various committees of the Agricultural Universities, ICAR, State and the Central Government such as Task Force on Pulses, Executive Committee of National Food Security Mission etc. Also worked on the Governing Boards of the ICAR, New Delhi, NABCONS, NABARD, Mumbai and the Bankers Institute of Rural Development (BIRD), Lucknow. He was the president of "Institute of Maharashtra Agricultural technologists" during 2018 to 2021. His contribution in the field of Agricultural Research and Development was recognized by several national and international agencies.

Some of the awards received by Dr. Rajaram Deshmukh are Colombo Plan Award (1992), ICRISAT's Doreen Mashler Award (2002), CGIAR's King Baudouin Award (2002), Vasantrao Naik Award (2006), Indian Society of Pulses Research and Development Gold Medal (2007), recognition by the ICAR at the Closing Ceremony of International Year of Pulses 2016 and by the Indian society of Genetics and Plant Breeding for outstanding contributions in the field of Genetics and Plant Breeding (2017).