Rattan Lal

Rattan Lal is a Distinguished University Professor of Soil Science at The Ohio State University and serves as Director of the CFAES Rattan Lal Center for Carbon Management and Sequestration. He holds adjunct positions at the University of Iceland and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), India, while also acting as a Goodwill Ambassador for Sustainable Development Issues at the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).

• BSc, Punjab Agricultural University (1963)
• MSc, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (1965)
• PhD, The Ohio State University (1968)

Dr. Lal’s research focuses on soil science, particularly soil carbon sequestration, soil health, sustainable soil management, and the impacts of tropical deforestation and land use change. He pioneered the application of the Nexus Approach and One Health Concept to soil systems, linking soil health to global climate stability and ecosystem services.

His recent publications emphasize soil’s role in climate regulation, carbon cycling in drylands, and post-pandemic recovery strategies. These works align with his advocacy for the “4 per Thousand” Initiative and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Scientific awards and distinctions include the Padma Shri Award (2021), World Food Prize (2020), GCHERA World Agriculture Prize (2018), and Glinka World Soil Prize (2018). He has received 9 Honoris Causa degrees, and his leadership roles include past President of the International Union of Soil Sciences.

Dr. Lal has mentored 115 graduate students and 182 visiting scholars, contributing to global soil science education and capacity building.