New President of AMI-2012

Abstract

Venkateswar Rao Linga, Microbiologist, was born in an agricultural family at small village (Pallegudem) in Khammam District, Andhra Pradesh, India in the year 1956 and obtained M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Microbiology from Department of Microbiology, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh in 1978 and 1984 respectively. He started his career as a Lecturer in Department of Microbiology, University College of Science, Osmania University, Hyderabad in 1978, then he moved to Nizam College, Osmania University in 1984 and established the Microbiology department as Senior Lecturer and worked as a Head and Chairman, Board of Studies in Microbiology and also as academic council member. In 1992, he came back to Department of Microbiology, UCS, Osmania University as an Associate Professor and has been working as a Professor since 2000 and at present he is the senior most Professor of the department. He worked as a Head, Department of Microbiology for 6 years and also as Chairman, Board of Studies for 7 years and presently continuing as Chairman, BOS and also as Sub-Coordinator for DBT-ISLARE programme. Microbiology department at Osmania University over a period of time achieved top distinction among the life science departments and helped them to get a funding of Rs. 14 crores from DBT under ISLARE programme and also helped Osmania University recently to get the University with Potential for Excellence status from University Grants Commission, New Delhi with 50 crores funding. He has published more than 85 papers and 3 books and 10 book chapters and filed 2 patents and presented more than 100 papers in various conferences and handled several research projects and Industry consultancy programs. He is a fellow of Biotech Research Society of India and Andhra Pradesh Academy of Sciences and Best Teacher Awardee of Andhra Pradesh State Government (2011). He worked as General Secretary of BRSI, Governing Body member of BRSI, Executive committee member of AMI, Associate editor of IJM and president of AMI, Hyderabad Unit. Currently he has been elected as President of the Association of Microbiologists of India for the year 2012. As young faculty member actively involved in organising the AMI annual conference in 1983 in Osmania University and also organized 46th Annual conference of AMI as organizing secretary in Osmania University in December 2005. American Society for Microbiology association with AMI started for the first time with this conference. He also organized several National and International Conferences as convener. He visited several countries and presented various scientific research papers. Twenty-one students completed their Ph.D. and at present 18 students are working under his supervision. The main focus of his research is in the area of Industrial Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology and his research interests include production L. V. Rao (&) Department of Microbiology, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh 500007, India e-mail: vrlinga@gmail.com