Dr. R.K. Khetarpal is working as Regional Director, CABI South Asia over viewing Research, Development and Publishing activities of CABI (UK) in India, Srilanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives. He joined CABI in March 2010 as the Science Director (Asia) and Country Director (India). 
MSc in Plant Pathology from GBPUAT, Pantnagar (1977) and PhD from University of Paris, France (1989). Joined as ARS Scientist in Division of Plant Quarantine at National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, ICAR in 1978; Worked as a Visiting Scientist in an EU project from 1994-1997 in plant virology at INRA, Versailles France. Served ICAR for 31 years, last position held was Head, Plant Quarantine Division at NBPGR (1999-2010). Executed a number of projects on research and capacity building. Contributed mainly in survey, detection, epidemiology and certification of seed transmitted viruses, plant quarantine (for plant genetic resources), biosecurity (compliance to SPS/WTO, pest risk analysis negotiations) and biosafety (orientation courses, GMO detection, compliance to CBD/ Cartagena Protocol). Played a key role in establishing state of the art facilities for quarantine at NBPGR including the DBT sponsored National Containment Facility (CL-4) for processing imported transgenics. Published 105 research papers, 64 review articles/ book chapters/ policy papers, 20 books/ manuals including book on Plant Virus Disease Control published from APS Press, USA. 
FAO Consultant /Team leader in six projects related to SPS/WTO in Asia and Africa. Represented country in global platforms (ISTA, FAO, UNDP, SBSTTA, CBD-CoP, USDA, SAARC) at Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mauritius, Nepal, Pakistan, UK, Uruguay and USA. Organizing Secretary for various conferences including the International Conference on Plant Pathology of IPS at New Delhi in 2009. Accompanied Minister of Agriculture in World Food Summit at FAO, Italy in June 2008.Nominated as member in Indo- Dutch and Indo-Brazilian Phyto-sanitary Working Groups, Indian delegation to US for negotiating wheat import (2007), Task Force on Strengthening Phytosanitary Capacity  (2007), Core Group for developing National Agricultural Biosecurity System  (2008), Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation (2005-08), Consultative Group on Biodiversity (2005-2010) and Core Group on Biological Disastersof NDMA. 
Recipient of French Government Scholarship, K C Mehta and Manoranjan Mitra Memorial Award & BB Mundkur Memorial Award of IPS, N. Prasad Memorial Lecture Award &  E.J. Butler Centenary Lecture Award of the ISMPP, RK Hegde Memorial Lecture Award from UAS, Dharwad and also of nine Best Paper Awards. Served as President - Indian Society of Plant Pathologists (2007-2009), Vice President - Plant Protection Association of India (2005-2007), Vice President - Indian Society of Plant Genetic Resources (2007-2010) and Vice President – Indian Virological Society (2008-2010) and Representative Asia – International Plant Virus Epidemiology Committee (2008-2010).