| Deepak Pental | |
| Order: | Vice Chancellor University of Delhi |
| Chancellor: | Mohammad Hamid Ansari |
| Term Start: | 1 September 2005 |
| Term End: | 31 August 2010 |
| Predecessor: | Prof. Deepak Nayyar |
| Successor: | Prof. Dinesh Singh (academic) |
| Office2: | Director, South Campus University of Delhi |
| Term Start2: | 2000 |
| Term End2: | 2005 |
| Predecessor2: | Prof. Abhai Mansingh |
| Successor2: | Prof. Dinesh Singh |
| Birth Date: | 1951 |
| Residence: | Flat No.7,University of Delhi, South campus, Benito Juarez Road New Delhi-110021 |
| Profession: | Research, Academician |
| Alma Mater: | Punjab University, Chandigarh, Rutgers University, United States |
Deepak Pental (born 1951) is a Professor of Genetics and the Ex Vice Chancellor at the University of Delhi. He is a noted researcher whose current research interests lie in development of transgenics and marker-assisted breeding of crops. He took charge of the post of Vice-chancellor of the University succeeding Professor Deepak Nayyar on 1 September 2005. As the VC, Pental has outlined his agenda to update the library system, work on teachers’ recruitment, increase student accommodation facilities and bring researchers working abroad to India.[1] [2] A new frog species, Minervarya Pentali, discovered in Western Ghats by a team of Delhi University researchers; was named after Pental.[3]
Pental completed his B.Sc.(Hons) and M.Sc.(Hons. School) from the Department of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh in 1971 and 1973 respectively. And subsequently he did his Ph.D. from Rutgers University, United States in 1978.Pental was a Postdoctoral and University Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham from 1978-84. He returned to India to join Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI) in 1985 and in 1993 he joined the University of Delhi, South Campus as Professor of Genetics. Pental had been Director of the University of Delhi, South Campus from 2000-2005. From 2005-2010 he was the Vice-Chancellor of the University.
Pental’s research interests lie in breeding of mustard and cotton. He has published more than sixty research papers in the national and international peer reviewed journals and his work has led to major breakthroughs in hybrid seed production technologies. Pental is a keen student of social science policy particularly related to the field of agriculture. Years back Pental got Punjab University medal for diploma in Gandhian Philosophy which shows his interest in social sciences and Gandhian thought.
Some of his works are described below:[4]