Prof. V. Palanimuthu specializes in Post-Harvest Processing & Food Engineering. He has over 29 years of rich experience in research, teaching, extension and management. He has served in various capacities in the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, India.

He completed his B.E. (Agri. Engg.) from TNAU, Coimbatore, and M.Tech. and Ph.D. from IIT, Kharagpur. He has also Post-Doctoral Training at McGill University, Canada. His research areas include design and development of new agro-processing machinery and post-harvest processing of agro-produce. He has authored 3 books, published 77 full-length research papers in reputed journals, and 19 popular articles, in addition to delivering several talks on different platforms.

He has taken up 17 externally funded research projects and has been the Principal Investigator for 10, apart from 18 ICAR-ACRIP & university projects as PI and 31 projects as Co-PI. He is instrumental in the establishment of the Centre of Excellence for Processing & Value Addition of Small Millets at UAS, Bengaluru, funded by GoI.

As the Scheme Head of ICAR-AICRP (Post Harvest Engineering & Technology), he created well-equipped laboratories for food product development, food analysis, dry (grain) processing, and wet (F&V, milk, honey) processing. He guided 3 Ph.D. scholars and 28 M.Tech. students as Chairman and mentored 73 students in the Research Advisory Committees of Masters & PhD students.

Prof. Palanimuthu has a patent on ‘’A Process for Manufacture of Enriched Instant Rice’’, developed 16 prototypes/ machinery/ gadgets that are commercialized through NRDC by the UAS, and developed 9 value-added product technologies that are recommended for commercialization. Apart from these, he developed many other food processing technologies and 5 jackfruit product technologies which were transferred to industries.

In recognition of his contributions, Prof. Palanimuthu received ICAR Best Teacher Award for the year 2014-15 from UAS, Bangalore and Bioved Fellowship Award-2009 by the Bioved Research Society, Allahabad. As Head, AICRP (PHET), Bangalore, he received the Best Centre Award during the Year 2018-19 from ICAR.

Prof. Palanimuthu served as a Member of various high level committees which include:

• Nominated Member of Research Advisory Committee (RAC), ICAR- Indian Institute of Natural Resins & Gums, Ranchi from 2017 to 2018
• Served as the Expert Member of ICAR-DoCR- Institute Research Council
• Served as a Nominated Member of Academic Council, UAS
• Served as a Member of Board of Studies of all UG/PG Degree Programmes of UAS, Bangalore for over 10 years
• Faculty Selection Committee Member of many universitites like UAS Banbalore, UAS Raichur, UAHS Shimoga & UAS Bagalkot

He is also:

• Life Member, Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers
• Life Member, Institution of Engineers (India)
• Life Member, Association of Food Scientists & Technologists (India)
• Life Member, The Indian Science Congress Association