Dr Prasanna Boddupalli is CIMMYT’s Distinguished Scientist, Regional Director for Asia, and Managing Director of the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA). He served as Director of CIMMYT Global Maize Program, based in Nairobi, from 2010 to 2024, and is internationally renowned for his contributions to the maize genetics, breeding and deployment of hundreds of high-yielding, climate-resilient and nutritionally enriched maize varieties for the rainfed, stress-prone tropical environments in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America through extensive partnerships. Prasanna also led the CGIAR Research Program on Maize Agrifood Systems during 2015-2021, and the CGIAR Plant Health Initiative during 2022 to 2024. He has received several national and international awards, including the Shanghai Magnolia Award of China, and Dr MS Swaminathan Award for Leadership in Agriculture in 2024. He has been selected by the Crop Science Society of America for 2025 International Crop Science Award, and by the World Food Prize Foundation as one of the Top Agri-Food Pioneers.