New Delhi: CropLife India has elected Dr. Gyanendra Shukla, MD & CEO of Rallis India Limited, as Chairman of its Board at the association’s 46th Annual General Meeting held in New Delhi. Mr. Rajvir Rathi, Head of Agricultural Affairs & Policy at Bayer Crop Science, and Mr. Giridhar Ranuva, Business Director, BASF Agricultural Solutions India, have been appointed Vice Chairmen.
CropLife India represents 17 R&D-led companies in the crop protection sector, collectively representing about 75% of the domestic market. Its members are also responsible for around 95% of crop protection molecules introduced in India, according to the association.
Dr. Shukla, who has served as Vice Chairman since October 2025, succeeds Mr. Ankur Aggarwal of Crystal Crop Protection, who led the association for two terms from 2024. The Board acknowledged the contributions of Mr. Aggarwal and outgoing Vice Chairman Mr. Mohan Babu Boppana of Bayer CropScience.
With more than 35 years of experience across crop protection and seeds in India, Asia-Pacific and Africa, Dr. Shukla is set to lead the association’s agenda around science, innovation and faster technology adoption.
“Over the next decade, India will need to produce significantly more food from essentially the same land. Closing that gap will require science, innovation and faster adoption at scale,” said Dr. Shukla.
He added that India has an opportunity to strengthen its capabilities in developing crop protection technologies while ensuring that innovations reach farmers faster. He also highlighted the importance of a regulatory framework that protects safety and efficacy data generated for new products.
Mr. Rathi, who brings more than two decades of experience in regulatory and government affairs, said safe and responsible use of crop protection products remains central to food safety.
“Safe use on the farm is what keeps food safe on the plate,” he said, emphasising the importance of product authenticity, traceability, science and stewardship across both traditional and digital distribution channels. Mr. Ranuva, who has 23 years of industry experience, including 16 years with BASF Agricultural Solutions across different regions, highlighted the growing impact of climate change on pest patterns.
“Climate change is rewriting the pest calendar. Pests could now arrive earlier, stay longer and appear in regions they never reached before,” he said, pointing to the growing role of chemistry, biologicals, drones and digital advisory in helping farmers respond to emerging agricultural challenges.
The new leadership will focus on working with the Government, scientific community and farmers to support a safe, productive and sustainable future for Indian agriculture, with emphasis on food security, farmer incomes, innovation and climate-resilient farming.
