Vice Chancellor's Message
"Our endeavour is to create an environment where students become responsible professionals, researchers develop solutions to real-world challenges, and farmers and communities’ benefit from knowledge and innovation."
Profile
Dr. M. V. Dhananjaya, Principal Scientist (Plant Breeding) at the ICAR–Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (ICAR-IIHR), Bengaluru, is one of India’s leading horticultural scientists, innovators and institutional leaders. With nearly 30 years of distinguished service, he has made remarkable contributions to horticultural research, plant breeding, seed systems, technology commercialization, entrepreneurship development and institutional management, benefiting farmers, startups and the horticulture sector across the country
His outstanding contributions have been recognized through the prestigious Dr. M.H. Marigowda National Endowment Award (2022–23) and the Dr. Kalayya Krishnamurthy National Award (2023–24). He has been honoured 14 times for excellence in research, teaching and extension, and has been nominated on six occasions by the Hon’ble Governor of Karnataka to the Expert Scrutiny Committees for the conferment of Honorary Doctorates in leading universities, including UAS Bengaluru, UAS Dharwad, UAS Raichur, KSNUAHS Shivamogga and Tumkur University.
Dr. Dhananjaya has developed and released 18 horticultural varieties, including ‘Arka Shreyas’, India’s first Gummy Stem Blight-resistant bottle gourd variety, ‘Arka Savi’, a high-yielding floribunda rose, and ‘Arka Parimala’, a value-added rose tea variety that has created new livelihood opportunities for women entrepreneurs. His scientific accomplishments also include five PPV&FRA-protected varieties, 19 germplasm registrations with NBPGR, research projects worth nearly ₹29 crore, mobilization of over ₹12 crore through CSR initiatives, publication of more than 100 research papers, seven books, 19 book chapters, 102 educational videos, and guidance to numerous M.Sc. and Ph.D. scholars.
As CEO of BESST-HORT (NIDHI Technology Business Incubator, Government of India), Dr. M. V. Dhananjaya has built one of India’s leading agri-startup ecosystems, achieving a turnover of ₹17.05 crore, supporting more than 100 startups, conducting 93 Entrepreneurship Development Programmes, training over 3,500 entrepreneurs, facilitating ₹14 crore in government support, creating infrastructure worth ₹7 crore, and establishing strategic partnerships with ONDC, GeM, HOPCOMS, BigHaat, AIMKART, India Post and HDFC Bank. His initiatives have expanded ICAR-IIHR technologies across 65,658 hectares, promoting technology commercialization, women entrepreneurship and innovation-led agricultural enterprises. As Nodal Officer of the ICAR-IIHR Vegetable Seed Unit, he modernized India’s public seed delivery system through online seed portals, digital marketing, seed vending machines, participatory seed production and partnerships with the National Seed Corporation and State Governments, resulting in the production and marketing of 84.9 tonnes of vegetable seeds, distribution of 1.59 lakh vegetable kits, and generation of over ₹20.73 crore in revenue, significantly strengthening national seed security
A visionary administrator, Dr. Dhananjaya has successfully organized the National Horticulture Fairs (2020, 2021, 2024 and 2025), international conferences, seminars, workshops and Krishi Melas, mobilizing ₹3.45 crore in sponsorships while promoting technology dissemination and farmer outreach. Notably, NHF–2021, conducted in a hybrid (offline and virtual) mode under the theme “Start-Up & Stand-Up India,” mobilized ₹100.35 lakh, showcased 257 technologies and 200 educational videos in 11 languages, hosted 11 technical sessions involving 22 institutions, 721 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and 600 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), facilitated seven MoUs, and achieved a global outreach of 5.72 million participants across 12 countries, setting new benchmarks in digital agricultural extension and technology transfer.
Internationally, he has represented India as Chairman and Speaker at the Asian Solanaceous and Cucurbit Round Table (APSA), Bangkok, chaired international scientific sessions, served on several national expert committees and statutory bodies, and continues to provide leadership in horticultural research, seed systems, innovation, startup incubation and agricultural policy. Through his pioneering work, Dr. M. V. Dhananjaya continues to make a lasting contribution towards building a self-reliant, sustainable and globally competitive Indian horticulture sector
Dr. M. V. Dhananjaya
Vice Chancellor
Keladi Shivappa Nayaka University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences (KSNUAHS), Shivamogga, is a unique integrated agricultural university in Karnataka, established with a vision to serve the diverse agricultural, horticultural and forestry needs of the region. With its main campus at Iruvakki and jurisdiction extending across six districts of Karnataka, the University occupies a strategically important position in the Malnad, coastal and transitional agricultural landscapes of the State.
The University is committed to its mandate of education, research and extension, with a strong focus on addressing region-specific challenges and translating scientific knowledge into practical solutions for farmers and other stakeholders. Its constituent colleges, research stations, Krishi Vigyan Kendras and extension network provide a strong foundation for advancing education, innovation and technology-led agricultural development.
Our vision is to transform KSNUAHS into a “Lighthouse of Knowledge”—an institution that creates, shares and applies knowledge to address emerging challenges in agriculture, horticulture, forestry and allied sectors. The University strives to promote excellence in teaching and learning, strengthen research and innovation, nurture entrepreneurship, and build meaningful partnerships with national and international institutions.
With its extensive research and extension ecosystem, KSNUAHS works closely with farmers, farming communities, industries, government agencies and other stakeholders. Through its research stations, KVKs, demonstrations, capacity-building programmes, technology dissemination and farmer-oriented initiatives, the University strives to ensure that scientific advances reach the field and contribute to sustainable livelihoods.
The University is also strengthening its focus on climate-resilient agriculture, digital technologies, value addition, entrepreneurship, sustainable natural resource management and emerging frontiers of agricultural science. Collaboration and knowledge exchange remain central to our efforts to create solutions that are locally relevant and globally meaningful.
At KSNUAHS, we believe that a university is not merely a centre of learning, but a catalyst for transformation. Our endeavour is to create an environment where students become responsible professionals, researchers develop solutions to real-world challenges, and farmers and communities’ benefit from knowledge and innovation.
With this commitment, KSNUAHS continues its journey towards becoming an island of excellence and an ocean of knowledge, contributing meaningfully to the transformation of agriculture and the well-being of farming communities.
“The future of agriculture is not just about producing more food, but about producing food sustainably, inclusively and resiliently.”
