As a leading figure in agricultural research and education, Dr. S. R. Maloo has transformed millet production and agricultural productivity in Rajasthan. With a rich career marked by pioneering research and securing substantial funding for vital projects, he has developed high-yield crop varieties that have significantly boosted Rajasthan's agriculture.

Dr. S. R. Maloo is the Dean and Chairman of the Faculty of Agriculture at the Pacific Academy of Higher Education and Research University, commonly known as Pacific University, located in Udaipur, Rajasthan. He also serves as the Ombudsperson for the University Grants Commission (UGC) at Pacific Medical University, Udaipur. Previously, Dr. Maloo held the position of Dean at the Rajasthan College of Agriculture in Udaipur and was the Director of Research at the Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology (MPUAT), also in Udaipur. His extensive career at MPUAT saw him work in various capacities over the years.

Dr. Maloo shares that after retiring as Dean and Chairman of the Faculty of Agriculture from RCA and MPUAT, he joined Pacific University driven by his mission to continue serving humanity. He highlights that agriculture contributes significantly to India's GDP and employment. Dr. Maloo notes that with the country's population growing rapidly, it is crucial to ensure food security, which he sees as a fundamental right of the people.

Dr. Maloo acknowledges the role of farmers and government policies in addressing the challenge of increasing India’s food production, but stresses the need for developing scientists who can bring innovative ideas to enhance the production of various food crops, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and pulses. His vision is to help humanity by boosting the nation's food production.

He mentions that Rahul Agarwal, the promoter of Pacific University, recognizing the need for agricultural education, initiated the establishment of an agriculture college in the university in 2016. The college has since become one of the top institutions in North India in terms of infrastructure, faculty, output, and human resource development. The alumni of this college are pursuing M.Sc and Ph.D. degrees, winning gold medals, and many have become entrepreneurs, providing employment and contributing to India's growth.

Dr. Maloo details the courses offered by Pacific College of Agriculture. Initially, they are offering a B.Sc. Honors in Agriculture, an undergraduate degree. The idea is to provide a strong foundation at the core level so that students can later pursue postgraduate and doctoral studies, ultimately becoming competent scientists. With 12 different subjects to choose from, students can specialize in their areas of interest.

Sharing what inspired him to come into the agriculture field, Dr. Maloo says that it was a long journey filled with sacrifices made by him and his family. He was born in a small village, Shahpura, in the Bhilwara district, into a family of academics. His grandfather was the first person in their area to earn a B.A. degree in the 1930s. He established a higher secondary school and served as the Director of Education in the erstwhile Shahpura princely state. Shahpura was a very advanced state at the time and was the place where Maharshi Dayanand lived for six months. The region was grounded in the morals and values of the Arya Samaj movement.

Dr. Maloo completed his basic education in Shahpura, although he does not recall much about it. However, he vividly remembers that after completing the eighth grade, his grandfather, Gulab Chand Maloo, a prominent academic, recognized his potential and creativity. At that time, young Dr. Maloo had little understanding of what his grandfather saw in him. However, when he entered the ninth grade, he achieved a first-division ranking, which was quite difficult in those days. His father, also an academic and the principal of a nearby school, suggested that the RBSC school should create a special section for first-division pass students to help them excel and improve the school's rank. Dr. Maloo was part of this new section.

In high school, Dr. Maloo studied Zoology, Botany, and Chemistry, and enjoyed dissecting frogs and earthworms, gaining an understanding of their organs. Up until the 11th grade, he aspired to become a doctor. He took the Pre-Medical Test (PMT) but did not succeed. By the second year of his college in 1974, he realized that the job market for doctors was bleak at that time. One of his relatives, who was a doctor and had joined the army for employment, advised him against becoming a doctor and suggested he complete his B.Sc. and then pursue an M. Sc. Influenced by this advice and despite being on the waiting list for medical school, he changed his plans and abandoned the idea of becoming a doctor.

Dr. S. R. Maloo then focused on his B.Sc. There were only two first-division holders in his B.Sc. course in Shahpura, and he was one of them. During the summer holidays, he went to Udaipur to stay with his uncle, an English professor at Udaipur University, who had significant contacts in the agriculture field. One day, Dr. Hargyan Singh, a prominent agronomist who later became Vice-Chancellor, visited them. Dr. Singh inquired about Dr. Maloo's plans and, upon learning that he had completed his B.Sc. with first-division and intended to pursue M.Sc. in Zoology or Chemistry, advised him to consider a career in agriculture.

At that time, the mention of agriculture conjured images of traditional farming, but Dr. Maloo soon realized that the field of agriculture included advanced branches like Genetics and Plant Breeding. Dr. Singh convinced him of the potential in this field, especially given his science background. Although initially skeptical because his M.Sc. in Agriculture would take three years instead of the usual two due to his Biology background, Dr. Maloo agreed after being persuaded about the subject's prospects.

Having already enrolled in M.Sc. in Zoology at Udaipur University, he got his fees transferred to the agriculture department. His knowledge of genetics and plant breeding from his B.Sc. helped him in his agriculture studies, and he went on to achieve a gold medal in his M.Sc.

After earning the gold medal, Dr. Maloo saw numerous opportunities ahead, including taking the ICS exam to become an IAS officer. During that period, he received several fellowships: from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the University Grants Commission (UGC), the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). He had to choose between a fellowship or a lecturership, where the fellowship stipend was INR 400, whereas a lectureship paid INR 500. He opted for the prestigious CSIR fellowship. Despite passing the ICS prelims, he decided to pursue a Ph.D. when admissions opened, dedicating himself fully to his doctoral studies.

Dr. S. R. Maloo completed his research on Durum Wheat and continued focusing on his Ph.D., earning honors. He became the only Ph.D. holder in his department, aside from one of the professors. In 1981, he was awarded the Ph.D. degree with honors. During that time, selections were happening for the Agricultural Scientist Recruitment Board (ASRB) in the Indian government, and he was selected. However, he chose to join Udaipur University as an Assistant Professor due to the better pay scale and completed his Ph.D. there.

His Ph.D. viva was conducted by the Director of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), who later received the Padma Puraskar, one of India’s most prestigious awards. Dr. Maloo felt honored to have his viva conducted by such a distinguished individual. He topped the merit list for Assistant Professor, out of 30 candidates, including some of his teachers, marking the start of his illustrious career. He joined the same department where he had studied and eventually rose to the positions of Dean and Faculty Chairman. His career has been a testament to his dedication, hard work, and passion for agriculture, significantly impacting the field and mentoring numerous students.

When asked about his role models, Dr. S. R. Maloo says that his grandfather who was very inspiring, well-educated, and disciplined was one. His grandfather's attitude molded him positively. After his grandfather, his father, who was of a similar nature, and his disciplined mother also played significant roles in shaping him, were his role models in his younger days.

Dr. Maloo adds that when he came to Udaipur, his uncle, Prof. P. C. Maloo, and his aunt, along with Dr. Hargyan Singh inspired him a lot. He appreciates that his uncle and aunt supported and guided him until he completed his post graduation. He feels fortunate to still be living with his parents and his uncle, expressing gratitude for their presence in his life.

When he joined Pacific University, Rahul Agarwal became another role model for him. He admires Rahul Agarwal for being a visionary and considerate about the nation, possessing a positive and relaxed personality. Dr. Maloo notes that Rahul Agarwal is involved in every aspect of the university, whether it's the medical college, agriculture college, or any other department. He finds that Rahul Agarwal's values align closely with those of Dr. Maloo’s father and mother. He shares that his father retired from a high position as SIERT Additional Director, an organization which plays an important role in education in Rajasthan.

Dr. Maloo recounts that after his father retired from this prestigious position in 1995, he joined Late Shri Jagat S. Mehta’s Vidya Bhawan Society. Jagat S. Mehta convinced his father to join the society, where he worked until 2016. During his tenure, he launched an Institute of Citizenship, which hosted notable figures like Manmohan Singh, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Ratan Tata. In 2016, Dr. Maloo requested his father to retire from active work, emphasizing that, at nearly 80 years old, they needed his presence at home. His father, now 88, still inquires about Dr. Maloo's daily activities and work. He recalls his father's curiosity about his participation in the "Meri Kahani" video recording, illustrating the constant support and interest which he gets from his parents.

Talking about his achievements, Dr. Maloo shares that after his own retirement, he received numerous offers. One notable offer came from the Finance Minister of Uganda, who stayed with him for two days and invited him to Uganda to manage finances and investments in agriculture in their country. However, Dr. Maloo declined, preferring to stay with his parents, valuing their company over financial gain. He believes that money is not everything and that spending time with parents is more important, as their presence brings everything into balance.

Dr. Maloo believes that there is no shortcut. One has to keep moving, keep learning, and keep performing despite disturbances. He emphasizes the importance of focus and serving society for economic empowerment.

Sharing about the hardships he has faced, Dr. Maloo states that there is no growth without hardships. He believes hardships teach us valuable lessons. Passionate about teaching, he dedicated his life to it. He shares that, contrary to the belief that college students are often unruly, his agriculture college class of 100 students maintains pin-drop silence and is always focused on studying. He believes that if educators genuinely impart knowledge, students will pay attention.

Dr. S. R. Maloo also reflects on the indiscipline he witnessed among college students in his time. He recounts incidents where students threatened teachers. Despite these challenges, he never let threats distract him or influence his decisions, maintaining his dedication to teaching and serving the academic community.

Talking about competition, Dr. S. R. Maloo says that there is always some competition wherever you go. He believes that both personal and professional competition is inevitable and that there will always be someone you strive to surpass. He mentions that some people may try to pull you down, but in such times, one must remember to never stop working hard and remain focused without being distracted. Dr. Maloo recalls how he had to undergo unwanted transfers despite his accomplishments. He topped the merit list in his college, and the Vice Chancellor always wanted him to stay in Udaipur. However, due to political reasons, he was transferred to a remote area called Naugaon in the Alwar district at a research center. There, he got the chance to study mustard crops. In 1989, the Government of India offered him INR 4 crores for a project, which was a substantial amount at that time, but the university refused to transfer him.

Despite this, his wish was to serve the tribal people of Udaipur and South Rajasthan, areas marked by poverty and undervalued farmers. His focus was always to help these communities grow and become economically stable. He noted that farmers in Alwar and Bharatpur were thriving due to ample water supply and hard work, unlike the economically underprivileged areas where the disparity was vast.

Dr. Maloo explains that despite his strong desire to serve these regions, the university did not want to transfer him there because it benefited from his work. He was even offered opportunities to go abroad to countries like the UK, Sweden, and Canada, but his aim was to work in his home region. He approached M. L. Mehta, the Commissioner of Agriculture at that time, expressed his desire to return to Udaipur and Banswara to work with the local farmers who were engaged in small-scale food grain agriculture.

He clarifies a myth about a historical claim that Maharana Pratap survived in his difficult days by supposedly eating chapatis made of grass, but in reality, he says it was made of millets. Dr. Maloo believed that increasing millet production in Udaipur and Banswara could provide farmers with a threefold return with less effort. After explaining this to M. L. Mehta, a new position was created for him, and he was transferred to Udaipur as an 'Associate Professor of Millets.' Initially, he had no budget and had to create his own budget and resources.

Dr. Maloo notes that at that time nobody was working on millets in the whole of Rajasthan. He worked extremely hard, and was happy to see his efforts recognized globally when the world for the first time celebrated International Millet Day in 2023. He began his work on millets in 1991 and, despite having no initial budget from the university, developed the first variety of millets by 1997. He and his team collected samples from remote areas like Banswara, Dungarpur, Gangar Talai and Kushalgarh, where they often traveled on foot due to a lack of transportation. With no place to plant those samples, he sought assistance from Jagat Mehta and Sewa Mandir, who provided him land for cultivation of millets. They developed the first variety of Foxtail Millet (Kangni Millet) in Rajasthan, which was approved by the Government of India and patented.

In areas with barren land, scarce water, and low rainfall, they successfully grew millets, marking the beginning of their work. Following this success, they proposed projects to the Government of India and began receiving funds, allowing Dr. Maloo to continue teaching postgraduate and Ph.D. students while advancing his research.

In 1998, Rajasthan Agricultural University was the only agricultural university in Rajasthan, headquartered in Bikaner. Dr. Maloo received the Best Teacher and Scientist Award there, a recognition that propelled his career forward. By 2005, he had launched six varieties of millets, all nationally registered. He became a professor and topped the merit list in 2001. In 2003, Vice Chancellor R. P. Singh recognized Dr. Maloo as the top Plant Breeder Geneticist and proposed establishing a seed industry to propel the university forward. This initiative aimed to increase the university’s income and boost production by 25-30% through the distribution of quality seeds.

At that time, there were only two agricultural universities in Rajasthan: Maharana Pratap University in Udaipur, established in 1999, and Rajasthan Agricultural University in Bikaner. Seed production was initially low, with the university producing only about 40 quintals of seeds. Dr. Maloo was tasked with increasing seed production and mechanizing the farms along with the designation of Associate Director- Seed and Farms. He submitted a project proposal to the Government of India for INR 6.89 crores, a significant amount compared to the usual INR 20-60 lakh projects. Despite initial skepticism, the Director General of ICAR appreciated the proposal, and the project was funded.

Over time, project funding increased, and Dr. Maloo secured a total of INR 48 crore for various  projects. He improved the university's infrastructure and farm productivity, increasing breeder seed production from 40 quintals to 12,000 quintals. This achievement placed Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology among the top universities in seed production.

Through their efforts, they were able to serve society by providing quality seeds, ensuring that farmers had access to high-yield varieties. This initiative drastically improved agricultural productivity in Rajasthan. Dr. Maloo advises farmers to change their seeds every three years to maintain high yields. He points out that wheat production, which used to yield 6-7 sacks per bigha, increased to 12-13 sacks by usage of better quality seeds. Although initially met with skepticism, their efforts proved successful, leading to the production of other seeds, including fish and horticultural seeds. The workload and success led to Dr. Maloo being appointed Director of Research, where he managed projects with budgets up to INR 12 crore, benefiting both farmers and the university through these mega projects.

Later, Dr. S. R. Maloo was appointed as the Head of the Department (HOD) of Genetics and Plant Breeding. In this role, he introduced new subjects and served as a member of the National Committee, which is responsible for creating the syllabus for agriculture education for the entire nation. In addition to his administrative duties, he mentored 22 Ph.D. students and around 30 M.Sc. students. His prolific output includes the publication of 250-275 research and technical articles, and over 1,000 popular articles meant for farmers. He has authored 12 books and organized national and international conferences. Dr. Maloo also served as the Vice President of The Indian Society of Plant Genetic Resources (ISPGR) and is a life member of many other societies. His contributions to research, publications, and farmer outreach have been  significant.

He recalls that the Vice Chancellor of the university once told him that he had done enough research and societal work and should now focus on the college’s development. In 2012, Dr. Maloo dedicated all his time to college administration, facing the challenge of daily strikes. From 2000 to 2016, he took only three casual leaves (CL) and worked even on Sundays and holidays. During his tenure, he implemented discipline among students and streamlined the academic curriculum. He ensured that the infrastructure, including hostel and mess facilities, was improved and that good placement opportunities were provided to students. He also facilitated international exposure and fostered a competitive spirit among students by highlighting their achievements.

Dr. S. R. Maloo proudly shares that four of his former students have become Vice Chancellors, and six to eight others hold positions as Directors and Deans at major national institutes. He considers it a significant achievement that his students are serving in prominent roles both in India and abroad.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC), Government of India, recognized Dr. Maloo’s extensive work in Biotechnology and selected him as a visiting professor to study genetically modified crops. He was sent as a Visiting Professor to Michigan State University and six other universities in the United States. During his 15-day stay, Dr. Maloo gained valuable insights and knowledge, which he implemented in India, further advancing the field of Biotechnology. This experience enriched his professional knowledge and allowed him to share advanced practices with his peers and students in India, enhancing the country's Agricultural Biotechnology landscape.

Dr. Maloo was subsequently invited by the United States Grains Council to attend the World Food Prize ceremony at Iowa State University, an event regarded as even more prestigious than the Nobel Prize in the field of agriculture. During that visit, he interacted with other agricultural experts and farmers, exchanging valuable knowledge and best practices. This prestigious invitation underscored Dr. Maloo's significant contributions and recognition in the field of Agricultural Science and Biotechnology, providing him with a global platform to share his expertise.

He shares that during the 12-day tour, he met several World Food Prize laureates, including 12 Indians, who inspired him greatly. He was also invited by the International Rainfed Authority in Dubai to share his expertise in growing millets in dry areas, emphasizing their nutritional value and benefits for cattle.

Dr. Maloo highlights that Rajasthan, despite being water-scarce, produces 55% of the world's spices. His focus was also on developing varieties of spices, millets, wheat, kathiya gehu (durum wheat), methi (fenugreek), ajwain (carom seeds), and kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves). He developed a variety of ‘kasuri methi’ with a strong fragrance that can be detected from a kilometer away. Similarly, he developed improved varieties of groundnuts.

A breeder's role, according to Dr. Maloo, is to make genetic changes and develop new species that perform 20% better with less water and less manure usage, and faster ripening. He holds patents for 9-10 varieties. Developing a new variety takes around 11-12 years, and he feels blessed that his work is recognized under the Government of India's notification. He continues to visit and work with various universities and the Agricultural Scientist Recruitment Board as an expert.

Dr. Maloo is also part of the Research Advisory Council of the Government of India, which accredits universities and offers advice on achieving educational excellence. He suggests producing crops like maize, sugarcane, and millets in hilly regions such as the Aravali, Satpura, and Nilgiri ranges, where agriculture is challenging. Recently, he joined the Advisory Board of the International Center of Excellence for Millets, established by the Indian government in Hyderabad with a budget of INR 300 crore.

Dr. Maloo's dedication to agricultural research, education, and development has had a lasting impact on the field, benefiting farmers and advancing agricultural science in India and beyond.

Dr. S. R. Maloo draws inspiration from Swami Vivekananda's famous quote, "Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached." He believes that a person must try 1,000 times without giving up to achieve success. This relentless perseverance is a key message he wishes to impart to students.

Dr. Maloo's advice to students is clear: there are no shortcuts to success. He emphasizes the importance of staying focused on their targets and serving the farming community of India. With the population increasing and the land size remaining constant, providing quality food becomes crucial.

Lastly, Dr. Maloo expresses his gratitude to all the viewers for listening to his story. He underscores the importance of patience and health, stating, "Because a healthy body has a healthy mind." He wishes everyone a prosperous future and encourages teamwork to achieve fourfold progress for India.

Throughout his journey, Dr. Maloo's wife, Nirmala Maloo, has been his steadfast support. He acknowledges her invaluable contributions, stating that he can never forget her dedication. She took care of their two daughters, making one a doctor and the other an engineer, while also supporting Dr. Maloo in his endeavors.

In his final message, Dr. Maloo emphasizes the need to work with full sincerity, integrity, and deep honesty. He urges everyone to remain focused on empowering the farming community of India by utilizing modern technologies.