Rai Singh Kookana

Rai Singh Kookana

Dr. Rai S. Kookana (born:12.07.1957) - Affiliate Professor, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Waite Campus, Adelaide, Australia.

Dr. Rai S. Kookana is a soil and environmental scientist based in Adelaide, Australia. He is currently Affiliate Professor at the University of Adelaide and formerly served as Chief Research Scientist at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

Born in Suli Khera (Fatehabad, Haryana), he moved to Australia nearly 40 years ago. He completed his M.Sc. at Haryana Agricultural University and, as a recipient of the Commonwealth Fellowship, pursued doctoral studies in Australia. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Western Australia in 1989 and subsequently joined CSIRO, where he worked as a Research Scientist until his retirement in 2023.

His siblings, Dr. Jai Singh Kookana and Mrs. Seema Beniwal, also live in Australia.

Early life

Born in Sulikhera (Hisar), India on 12 July 1957.

Education

• Educated (BSc. Ag and MSc. Soil Science) at Haryana Agricultuural University (HAU) Hisar 1973-80;

• PhD (Soil Science and Plant Nutrition) from the University of Western Australia (UWA), Perth, Australia 1985-89.

Professional positions

• Research Scientist 1992-96, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Australia.
• Senior Research Scientist 1996-2001 CSIRO Australia.
• Principal Research Scientist 2001-06, CSIRO Australia.
• Senior Principal Research Scientist 2006-12, CSIRO Australia.
• Chief Research Scientist 2012-23, CSIRO Australia.
• Affiliate Prof., since 2011, The University of Adelaide, Australia.

Awards/Honours

• JA Prescott Medal by Australian Society of Soil Science, 2016.
• The CSIRO Medal for Lifetime Achievement, 2021.
• Member Crop Protection Committee of International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), 2014- to date.
• Vice President, IUPAC Division of Chemistry and the Environment, 2016-18.
• President Division of Chemistry and the Environment IUPAC, 2018-20.
• Titular Member IUPAC, 2022-24.
• Member of The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), 2020-24;

Fellowships

• Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) 2005.
• Soil Science Society of America, 2012.
• National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) India, 2023.

Research Areas

Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Fate and Effects of Pesticides; Organic Contaminants in the Environment; Chemical Risk Assessment and Mitigation. Soil Environmental Science; Water Management.

Publications

A total of 291 publications in International Journals and Books. Work cited >28000. Full details are available on ORCID database. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0477-3284

Editorial positions: Associate Editor - Soil Research; Member Editorial Board -Soil and Environmental Health 2023-24. Member Editorial Borad- Jal Vimarsh: A Journal of Water Dialogues for Development, Sustainability and Social Well-being

Other interests

English and Hindi Lierature; History Research – memoirs writing; Hindi poetry and story writing – written poetry in different styles (e.g. Haiku, Navgeet, Kundaliyan chands); published poems and stories in several Australian books; co-edited Hindi books in Australia.

Contact details

• Address: Adelaide, SA 5051, Australia
• Email - Kookana@gmail.com
• Website: https://researchers.adelaide.edu.au/profile/rai.kookana

Gallery of Images

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  Rai Singh Kookana
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  Rai Singh Kookana
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  Australia’s National Science Agency, CSIRO’s Medal for Lifetime achievement in 2021.
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  Selected as Pravasi Fellow by the Indian National Academy of Agricultural Science in 2023.
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  Highest recognition by the Soil Science Society America in 2012.
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  Receiving the highest recognition offered by the Soil Science Society America in 2012.
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  Service Award by IUPAC, Paris, France in 2019.
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  Speaking on ‘Chemicals in the Environment’
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  Books by Dr. Rai Singh Kookana in English, Hindi and Gujarati, launched by Shri Rajender Singh ji, the ‘Waterman of India’ in 2019.
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  Books by Dr. Rai Singh Kookana in English, Hindi and Gujarati, launched by Shri Rajender Singh ji, the ‘Waterman of India’ in 2019.
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  Hobbies of Dr Rai Singh Kookana
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  Hindi Poetry
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  Mountain Trekking in New Zealand
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  Mountain Trekking; peak of the Cradle Mountain, Tasmania

References

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