Dr K.C. Naik

Born in South Kannara district of Karnataka on August 14, 1903, Dr K.C. Naik did B.Sc.(Ag.) from Poona Agriculture College in 1924; M.Sc. in Horticulture in 1931 and Ph.D. in Horticulture in 1951 from University of Bristol, England.

Dr Naik served as Manager, Fruit Farm Montgomery (192427); Assistant to Fruit Specialist at Layallpur (1927-34); Horticulturist for Bihar and Orissa (1934-35); Superintendent, Fruit Research Station in Madras (1935-49); Deputy Director of Research and Education, Madras (1949-56); Principal and Dean, at College of Agriculture, Coimbatore and Director of Agriculture, Madras (1956-58), Chief of Agricultural Education, I.C.A.R., New Delhi (1959-61) and Technical Adviser, U.S. Embassy (1961-64). He became the Vice Chancellor, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore (now Bengaluru) (1964-73) and Adviser to Kerala Agricultural University (1973-74). Thereafter, he became Technical Director, M/s Cleanfoods Corporation Ltd., Bengaluru.

During his professional career Dr Naik published over 50 research articles and six books. His research contributions were particularly on new mango varieties, mango rootstocks, causes of shy bearing in mango and superior clones and rootstocks of citrus.

Dr Naik was associated with various professional societies and committees. He was President of Horticultural Society of India and was also member of FAO Advisory Panel on Agricultural Education; Secretary, committee on Establishment of Agricultural Universities; Member, Task Force on Agricultural Education of the Education Commission (1964-66) and member of Agricultural Study Team of the Administrative Reforms Commission.

Dr Naik is widely travelled. He attended XII International Horticultural Congress in Germany (1938), Rockefeller Foundation Symposium in New York (April 1968); Annual Convention of Land Grant Colleges at Washington (Nov. 1968); FAO Panel Meeting on Agricultural Education in Rome (1965 and 1968); People Republic of China (Dec. 1957); International Citrus Virus Conference at California, USA (1956) and International Citrus Symposium at California, USA (1968). Dr