Former vice-chancellor of PAU Khem Singh Gill passes away at 89

:Former vice-chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University and noted educationist Dr Khem Singh Gill died at Hero Heart Institute here on Tuesday morning. He was 89. Cremation will take place in Ludhiana on Thursday.

Awarded Padma Bhushan for his contributions towards science in 1992, Dr Gill was known for his contribution in making the Green Revolution a success.

A great geneticist and plant breeder, Dr Gill was born on September 1, 1930, at Kaleke village in Moga district. After his bachelors in agriculture from Khalsa College, Amritsar, in 1949 and subsequently masters in genetics and plant breeding in 1952, Dr Gill served at several positions before becoming the PAU vicechancellor in 1990 and served at the post until 1993.He was instrumental in breeding new strains of wheat, linseed and sesame.

He was the founding fellow of the World Academy of Sciences. Besides many books on agriculture, there are over 300 research articles to his credit.

Chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, while expressing grief over the death, said Dr Gill will be best remembered for bringing the Green Revolution in the country.

SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said Dr Gill was a great scientist and his extraordinary contribution will continue to inspire the future generations.

The educational institutions, social organisations and academicians associated with the PAU also mourned the death.

Renowned agriculture economist, Dr SS Johl, who had a long association with Dr Gill, said that latter’s death was a great loss for society, particularly the fraternity associated with the agriculture sciences and research. “His contribution in the field of agriculture and education was immense. He was a great plant breeder and shared a connect with nature. Rather, I would say, Dr Gill used to talk to plants. The void Dr Gill has left will be difficult to be filled.”

Dr Gill, along with Baba Iqbal Singh, was also the founding trustee of The Kalgidhar Trust. As director of the Akal Academies, he set up the first academy at Muktsar in 1993. Today there are 117 Akal Academies across Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.

PAU employees held a condolence meeting on the campus on Tuesday to pay homage to the visionary scientist. PAU V-C Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon also mourned the death of Dr Gill.

He is survived by his two sons Dr Baljit Singh Gill and Ranjit Singh Gill, and daughter Dr Davinder Kaur Saran.