Born in Laheriasarai, Bihar, India on 12 July 1955. Educated at M.L. Academy, Laheriasarai, 1966-71; C.M. College, Darbhanga, 1972-74, Ballygunge Science College, Calcutta University, Kolkata, 1974-76; B.Sc. (Hons), 1974; M.Sc. (Botany) specializing in Mycology and Plant Pathology, 1976; Ph.D. 1982

Professor, Department of Botany, University of North Bengal, Siliguri, 1998 to date.

Lecturer in Botany, St. Joseph's College, Darjeeling, 1982-84, Lecturer in Botany, Department of Botany, University of North Bengal, 1984-95, Reader in Botany, University of North Bengal, 1995-98; Professor 1998 to date. Head, Department of Botany, 1998-2000 and 2014-15; Dean, Faculty of Science, University of North Bengal, 2005-2009; Director, Centre for Development Studies, NBU, 2005-2009; Vice Chairman, Centre for Floriculture and Agrobusiness Management, NBU, 2005-2009; Programme Coordinator, SAP-DRS, 2007-2012. Zonal President (Eastern Chapter), Indian Phytopathological Society,1996; Zonal Councillor(East Zone), 2009, Vice President, 2010, President-2012, -Indian Society of Mycology and Plant Pathology, Vice President, Crop Protection Federation, 2012-15; Councillor, International Society of Plant Pathology, 2013-18; Chairman, Regional Research Advisory Committee, Regional Sericultural Research Station, Kalimpong, Central Silk Board, Govt. of India, 2013-17, Vice President, Indian Mycological Society, 2016-2019, President, Indian Phytopathological Society, 2016-2017.

Awards/Honours: DBT Long term Overseas Biotechnology Award, 1989-91; Dr. R. L. Narasimha Swamy Memorial Award, 1998; Prof. K. P. V. Menon award, 2003; Guman Verma Memorial Award, 2004, 2008,2010; Researcher Award, 2004; Ram Sakhi Devi Award, 2005; P. P. Singhal Memorial Pesticides India Award, 2005, 2010, 2012, 2014; Prof. K.S. Bilgrami Award, 2007, 2010, 2014; Prof. K. Natarajan Endowment Lecture Award,2010; Prof. M.J. Narasimhan Medal, 2011; Dastur Memorial Lecture Award, 2011; P.R. Varma Award, 2013; N. Prasad Memorial Lecture Award, 2014; Prof. A.K. Sinha Memorial Lecture Award, 2016;Prof. S.N. Banerjee Memorial Lecture Award, 2016; Prof. V.P. Bhide Memorial Lecture Award, 2016; Bharat Vikas Award, 2016, Prof. R. Prasada Memorial Lecture,2017.

Fellow: National Academy of Biological Science, West Bengal Academy of Science, Royal Society of Chemistry, London, Indian Society of Plantation Crop, Indian Phytopathological Society, International Society for Conservation of Natural Resources, Indian Society of Mycology and Plant Pathology, Indian Mycological Society, Mycological Society of India

Research Areas: Molecular Plant Immunity, Microbial Biotechnology, Harnessing beneficial microbial resources for crop improvement