Dr. Damodaran Thukkaram, born on October 2nd, 1973, in Chennai, did his M.Sc. and Ph.D. from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore (1998–2003). He joined the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of ICAR at the Central Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair, in 1999 as a Scientist. Later, he was selected as Senior Scientist at ICAR–Central Soil Salinity Research Institute (CSSRI), Regional Research Station (RRS), Lucknow, in the year 2008. Further, he was placed as Principal Scientist in the same institute and later served as Head In-charge of the station since 2020. On 23rd January 2023, he assumed charge as the regular Director of ICAR–Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, Lucknow, and is currently leading the institute.