Dr. Siddhartha Mishra
Professor & Dean, College of Dairy and Food Technology
Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology (MPUAT), Udaipur
Dr. Siddhartha Mishra is a distinguished academician, researcher, and extension professional in the field of Animal Nutrition, Livestock Production Management, and Poultry Science. He is presently serving as Professor and Dean of the College of Dairy and Food Technology at Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology (MPUAT), Udaipur. With more than 20 years of experience in teaching, research, and extension, he has made significant contributions to livestock and poultry production.
Dr. Mishra began his academic journey with a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science from S. K. N. College of Agriculture, Jobner, under Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner. He subsequently pursued his Master’s degree in Animal Nutrition at the prestigious National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal. He continued his academic pursuits at NDRI and earned his doctoral degree in Animal Nutrition.
Dr. Mishra joined Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology in 2005 as an Assistant Professor. Since then, he has been actively involved in undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral teaching, in addition to undertaking research and extension activities. His major areas of teaching include Animal Nutrition, Livestock Production Management, and Poultry Science. Over the years, he has developed considerable expertise in designing and implementing research programmes aimed at addressing practical problems faced by livestock and poultry farmers.
His research contributions cover a wide range of livestock species, including cattle, buffalo, goat, sheep, poultry, and rabbits. He has conducted extensive studies on the productive, reproductive, and nutritional aspects of Surti buffaloes. He has also undertaken field-based research on the productive and reproductive performance of Sonadi sheep maintained under farmers’ flock conditions. In addition, he has worked on the performance evaluation of broiler rabbit crosses.
One of Dr. Mishra’s notable contributions has been in the area of indigenous poultry germplasm conservation and improvement. He was actively associated with the registration of the indigenous Mewari Chicken germplasm. He has also contributed to the registration of three indigenous breeds, namely Sojat, Gujari, and Karauli. His work in the identification, characterization, conservation, and utilization of indigenous animal genetic resources has helped strengthen the scientific recognition of valuable local germplasm.
Dr. Mishra has played a particularly important role in the development and promotion of Pratapdhan, a dual-purpose chicken variety developed for backyard poultry production. Pratapdhan has demonstrated excellent suitability for backyard poultry farming in Rajasthan and adjoining states, particularly under resource-constrained production systems. His efforts have contributed significantly to the production and supply of more than 8 lakh Pratapdhan chicks, helping farmers and rural households access improved poultry germplasm. The variety has supported the enhancement of household-level poultry production, income generation, and nutritional security in rural communities.
His research programme in poultry science has included studies on the management and nutritional requirements of different poultry germplasms. He has worked extensively on alternative feed resources, herbal feed additives, probiotics, and prebiotics for broilers, Mewari Chicken, and Pratapdhan. These studies have focused on improving growth performance, feed efficiency, health, and overall productivity while exploring cost-effective and sustainable approaches to poultry nutrition.
In addition, Dr. Mishra has undertaken several field studies concerning livestock management practices in tribal areas of Southern Rajasthan. His work on goat and buffalo management has helped identify existing production practices, constraints, and opportunities for improving livestock productivity under local farming conditions. His emphasis on field-oriented research reflects his commitment to developing technologies that are practical, affordable, and suitable for farmers.
Dr. Mishra has also made substantial contributions to human resource development. He has successfully guided more than 20 postgraduate students and 4 Ph.D. scholars and is currently guiding 4 postgraduate and 8 Ph.D. students. Through his mentorship, he has contributed to the development of young researchers and professionals in the fields of animal nutrition, livestock production, and poultry science.
He has published more than 50 research papers in national and international journals, reflecting his sustained engagement in scientific research. In addition to research publications, he has contributed to the preparation of technical bulletins, practical manuals, leaflets, and other extension literature aimed at disseminating scientific knowledge among students, field personnel, farmers, and other stakeholders.
Overall, Dr. Siddhartha Mishra has established a strong academic and research profile through his contributions to Animal Nutrition, Livestock Production Management, Poultry Science, indigenous germplasm conservation, and farmer-oriented extension programmes. His work on indigenous poultry resources and the development and dissemination of Pratapdhan has been particularly significant for strengthening backyard poultry production in Rajasthan. Through his combined efforts in teaching, research, extension, student guidance, and technology dissemination, he continues to contribute meaningfully to sustainable livestock and poultry development and to the advancement of agricultural education and research at MPUAT.
