- All India Coordinated Research Project on Sorghum, ICAR-IIMR, Hyderabad bagged the prestigious "Chaudhary Devi Lal Outstanding All India Coordinated Research Project Award 2019" during ICARs 92nd Foundation Day celebrations held on 16 July, 2020 ::
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- International Year of Millets (IYoM) 2023 - News
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- Advertisement no 01/2019 for filling up the post of Assistant may be treated as cancelled due to administrative reasons ::
- Kharif Agro Advisory ::
- ICAR-NAHEP in collaboration with the Crop Science Division of ICAR is organizing Hackathon Kritagya- a National Level Agtech Hackathon on “Speed breeding for Crop Improvement.::
Scientific Staff

Dr. CV Ratnavathi
Discipline: Plant Bio-Chemistry | Designation: Principal Scientist | At DSR Since: 1989
Email: ratnavathi@millets.res.in | Mobile: 09885634810
Profile video Click hereAcademic Qualifications
Degree | Institute/ University | Year of completion | Subject(s) with major field |
---|---|---|---|
Ph D | Osmania University, Hyderabad, AP | 1998 | Biochemistry |
M.Phil | Central University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad | 1984 | Life Sciences (Biochemistry) |
M.Sc | Central University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad | 1983 | Life Sciences (Biochemistry) |
B.Sc | Andhra University, Visakhapatnam | 1981 | Botany, Zoology and Chemistry |
Employment Record & Experience (Starting from the present position)
Designation | Organization | Institution & place of posting | Period (From-to) |
Duration (years, months) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Principal Scientist | ICAR | Directorate of Sorghum Research, Hyderabad | 28-09-2006 to till date | |
Senior Scientist | ICAR | National Research Centre for Sorghum, Hyderabad, AP | 28-09-1998 to 27-09-2006 | 8 years |
Scientist (Selection Grade) | ICAR | National Research Centre for Sorghum,, Hyderabad, AP |
27-7-1998 to 28-09-1998 | 2 months |
Scientist (Senior Scale) | ICAR | National Research Centre for Sorghum, Hyderabad | 19-03-1992 to 27-7-1998 | 6 years, 4 months, 8 days |
Scientist | ICAR | National Research Centre for Sorghum, Hyderabad | 19-01-1989 to 19-03-1992 | 3 years |
Scientist | ICAR | Central Tobacco Research Institute | 19-03-1985 to 18-01-1989 | 3 years, 10 months |
Current responsibilities:
- Biochemical studies on sucrose accumulation in sweet sorghum for efficient ethanol production in sweet sorghum (NFBSFARA project upto 2016 as a PI)
- Studies on the therapeutic properties and establishing millets as a functional and health food (DBT project as a PI upto 2020)
- Research responsibilities on sorghum health foods in sorghum in XII plan
- Studies on 1st and 2nd generation fuel ethanol from sweet sorghum
Recent 3 major contributions:
- Contributed for the release of the first public sector hybrid of sweet sorghum CSH 22 SS and variety CSV 24SS after establishing the commercialization of use of sweet sorghum cane for fuel ethanol production (Renuka Sugar factory, Belgaum, Karnataka, 2003, Sagar sugars Pvt. Ltd, Nelavoy, Chittoor Dt.2005 and EID parry India pvt ltd, Srikakulam, 2016). Identified suitable microbial cultures, Candida tropicalis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (amylolytic strain) for fermentation of sweet sorghum juice
- Developed process for making poha (beaten sorghum) from sorghum using rice flaking machine , extruded sorghum (pasta and vermicelli)and preconditioning of grain for the preparation of pops
- High antioxidant activity measured as Ascorbic acid equivalent antioxidant activity (AEAA) and DPPH activity was standardized and measured in 127 genotypes and 33 genotypes are with high AEAA activity. Out of these 10 genotypes are having high polyphenolic content also. They are IS 29241, EP 20, IS 28614, SPV 1745, IS 24462, EP 105, IS 14861, IS 30572, IS 19445 and IS 28313.
Recent awards and recognitions:
- Elected as member, Scientific panel of FSSAI for cereals, pulses, oil seeds and bakery products, FSSAI, FDA Bhavan, New Delhi (two times2018 and 2020).
- Expert member of review committee of BBSRC projects, UK, 2019
- Member of special Task force of Food and Nutrition, DBT, 2018.
- Expert member of review committee for selection of research projects of DDG Education division of ICAR, New Delhi. (2018)
- Invited as expert for a lecture on nutritional and health benefits of millets at Defence Metallurgical Laboratories (DMRL)(2019)
- Invited as expert on Mycotoxins for the workshop on dietary exposure of mycotoxins organized at NIN in collaboration with University of Aberdeen, UK during August 2019
Current collaborative activities:
- Collaborating with Department of Biochemistry, Osmnania University, Hyderabad in the DBT external project
- Collaborating with Dr.SudhaVasudevan, Mohan’s diabetic research foundation, Chennai for low glycemic millet foods and their characterization
- Collaboration with Dr.Mohana Krishna, IICT, Hyderabad for research on metabolomics of sucrose metabolism in sweet sorghum.
Recent most significant publications:
- Aruna, C, Ratnavathi, C V, Suguna, M, Ranga B, Praveen, P, Annapurna A, Bahadure, DM and VA Tonapi (2019) Genetic variability and GxE interactions for total polyphenol content and anti-oxidant activity in white and red sorghums (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), Plant Breeding (Accepted)
- Vali Pasha, K, Ratnavathi, CV, Ajani J, Raju, D, Manoj Kumar, S and Sashidhar, RB (2018) Proximate, mineral composition and antioxidant activity of traditional small millets cultivated and consumed in Rayalaseema region of South India, Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 98:2,652-660(DOI 10.1002/jsfa.8510
- RatnavathiCV (2018) Grain Structure, Quality and Nutrition, in Breeding sorghum for diverse end uses Eds. C. Aruna, KBRS Visarada, B.Venkatesh Bhat and VA Tonapi. Elsevier publishers ISBN: 978-0-08- 101879-8, 193-203
- Ratnavathi, CV, JV Patil and UD Chavan (2016) Sorghum Biochemistry- An Industrial Perspective, ISBN : 978-012-803157-5 Editors: Ratnavathi, Patil&Chavan-, Elsevier publishers, Oxford: Academic Press , PP 343.
- Venkatesh Bhat, C V Ratnavathi, B Dayakar Rao, R Chapke, R Swarna, P G Padmaja, G ShyamPrasad, I K Das, C Aruna, R Venkateswarlu, N Kannababu,Sooganna, S S Rao, AvinashSinghode, HS Talwar, K Srinivasababu and VA Tonapi (2019) Manual on Good Agricultural Practices in Millets.ISBN No 81-89335-88-X ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, 56p
Other professional activities
- Developing grades and standards for millets and millet food products.
- Participated in the training on ‘Advances in HPLC techniques, analysis of vitamins in foods and other applications of HPLC at the 6th Asia Pacific Food Analysis Network (APFAN) workshop on food analysis 4-9 May, 1999 Environmental Toxicology Research Institute at Brisbane, Australia.
- Coordinated FAO Sweet sorghum varietal evaluation trial
- Training cum discussion programme on ‘Biochemical aspect of grain protein quality and improving nutritional value of sorghum grain’ at Texas A&M University and Purdue University, USA.