Dr J.P.Sharma is presently Vice-Chancellor of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Jammu, J&K. He is also holding the Additional Charge of Vice- Chancellor, SKUAST Kashmir. Previously he worked as Joint Director (Extension) and as Head, Division of Agricultural Extension and Director, Centre for Advanced Faculty Training (Extension) at Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi. He has vast experience of over 33 years conducting strategic research, guiding, teaching postgraduate students, conducting national/ international training programmes and carrying out agricultural development interventions at the national level.
He earned his Doctoral degree from IIT, Delhi and Post Graduation from GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar and was awarded Fellowships from IIT, Delhi and UNDP respectively. He was associated with 20 externally funded projects; funded by ICAR, DST, DBT, NABARD etc and 13 institutional research projects as PI/Co-PI. He has designed and developed innovative extension approaches like IARI-Post-Office Linkage Extension Model (Krishi Dak), Cyber Extension Model, Expert System, e-learning Module, National Extension Programme, IARI-VO Partnership Programme, Innovative Farmer Led Extension System etc. for better and faster dissemination of technologies. Dr. Sharma introduced/taught 11 postgraduate courses in agricultural extension and guided 21 students as Chairman/Co-Chairman/Member, Advisory Committee. He has published 111 research papers in reputed journals, 300 popular articles in magazines and newspapers, 51 books, 60 book chapters.
He is member of various National and International Professional Committees and invited as consultants/expert for Planning Commission, DBT, DST, Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR), Member Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun, Member AERC governing body, Member Indian Coordinator of Mera Gaon Mera Gaurav (Government flagship scheme), Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (MoHRD). Dr. Sharma is recipient of more than 62 awards/recognition including Dr Rajendra Prasad Puruskar and Hari Om Ashram Trust Award of ICAR, Best Agricultural Extension Scientist Award of IARI, Raj Bhasha Gaurav Puraskar of Ministry of Home Affairs, Manthan Award-South Asia, Dr G.S.Vidyarthi Award, MANAGE Best Agriculture Extension Book Award and Lifetme Achievement Award for Agriculture Today Group for his outstanding contributions in the field of agricultural extension.
