Agriculture scientist happy with Padma Shri

Chennai: Agricultural scientist Ajay Kumar Parida Sunday said he was "professionally and personally" satisfied with the Padma Shri awarded to him.

"The award is professionally and personally satisfying. It is one of the highest recognitions that India bestows," the 50-year-old said. A cytogenetist and molecular biologist by training, Parida is from Odisha. He is the executive director at the city-based M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation. He has been awarded the Padma award under the science and engineering category. He is presently working on salinity resistant crop. "We have identified the genes and characterised it. We will be soon sending the application for field trials," Parida said.