Dr. Gurdev Singh Khush is an agronomist and geneticist who, along with mentor Dr. Henry Beachell, received the 1996 World Food Prize for unparalleled achievements in enlarging and improving the global supply of rice during a time of exponential population growth.
In pursuit of ever-improved rice varieties to nourish the growing developing world and support its agricultural economies, Dr. Khush spent over twenty years directing and participating in genetic research and breeding at IRRI (International Rice Research Institute). Moreover, his work has earned him the legacy of playing a key role in the development of more than 300 innovative rice strains such as Semi-dwarf IR36.[1]