Working as Biologist for over 50 years, Dr Rajendran researched on apiculture in
small holding rubber plantations of Kerala since 1974. He was part of a team to
develop KUFRI SWARNA potato variety in the Nilgiris, Tamilnadu that is resistant to
both the species and all their biotypes of Potato Cyst Nematodes in 1983. This
potato variety is still cultivated in this region, successfully resisting this soil pest.
Retired Asst. Director General (Plant Protection), Indian Council of Agriculture
Research, Department of Agriculture Research, Education, Ministry of Agriculture

Farmers Welfare, Government of India. He was the Founder Director of ICAR-
National Institute of Biotic Stress Management, Raipur, Chhattisgarh. As Project
Coordinator, ICAR-All India Coordinated Cotton Improvement Project on Cotton, he
brought about non-chemical cotton farming. He was also responsible for the
notification of three GM cotton Hybrids for cultivation in 2002.

His landmark concepts for establishing Academic University status institutes for research on Biotic Stress, Abiotic Stress and Biotechnology in agriculture led to their establishment as National Institute of Biotic Stress Management Institute, Raipur,

Chhattisgarh; National Institute of Abiotic Stress Management, Malegaon, Baramati, Maharashtra and Indian Institute of Agriculture Biotechnology, Ranchi, Jharkhand. As research manager, his leadership led to the development of a number of research groups in cotton research, agriculture microbiology, agriculturally important insects, Agricultural biotic stress management in farms etc. He believes that apiculture in agriculture farms can be an indicator of agro-ecological health.